


Maleficent's gang

by Serrenedy



Series: Evilly good [1]
Category: Descendants (2015)
Genre: Abuse, F/M, Gaslighting, Gen, Mind Control
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-16 13:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 36,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4627608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serrenedy/pseuds/Serrenedy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Due to a bought of homesickness, a troubling idea comes to fruition. The villain parents are being sent to see their children. This may cause...issues</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Homesick

**Author's Note:**

> Fair warning. I have not seen this movie. I have seen the song Rotten to the Core and the song Evil like me. I thought Evil like me is at the end, but I have been told that is not the case. I don't really care, this is less a fanfic of the movie and more a fanfic of my idea of the movie. Enjoy. This story will have three parts.

Mal was in a bad mood. When Mal was upset, everyone knew, partially because of the literal dark cloud that followed her around. But they all knew mostly because of the fact that all of the four were upset at the same time. Mal was the catalyst. After her mood dipped, Carlos handed in his homework late, Jay missed an easy shot, and even Evie had thrown her hair into a lazy ponytail two days in a row. That was all _after_ Mal’s cloud had appeared. Whether this was something with Mal that caused the others to feel upset on her behalf, or something shared by the four, it was best to nip it in the bud before they got upset enough to start causing mayhem in an attempt to cheer themselves up. So Ben went to the girl’s room first. It was best to start at the problem itself. When he realized the girl’s weren’t there he went to the boy’s room. It only took two knocks before Jay answered the door. The taller boy muscled his way out with minimal exposure to the inside room, but Mal’s cloud was pretty visible, and there was the sound of someone, possibly Carlos, crying. Jay slammed the door shut behind him and gave Ben a smile that didn’t quite reach his tired eyes.

          “Hi Ben” The air was stiff and his forced nonchalance wouldn’t fool Ace, who had gained his mother Alice’s odd and almost dangerous naivety. Ben rose an eyebrow at the thief and Jay dropped the act and the smile. “If something went missing” He started seriously, “It wasn’t us. I haven’t been on my supply run yet and it was my turn this week.” Ben noted that in the back of his mind, but also noticed that it was most likely an evasion of what he wanted to talk about. So, concerning as it might be, he firmly ignored it for the moment.

          “Are you guys alright?” Jay was silent, so Ben pressed more. “You’ve all been acting weird, I mean, Mal’s cloud shot lightning at me the other day and Dude was relocated. Something big has to be going on for Carlos to send him away.” Jay flinched slightly, his eyes were dark.

          “It’s fine” Ben rose his other eyebrow. “We…we just…it…we’re just kinda…” He bit his lip. “Mal is really sorry about the cloud by the way, she has no idea how to get rid of it. It never happened on the island.” He grit his teeth after a moment. Ben was patient, he’d learned it from his mother-when to see that people really _did_ want to talk to you. He carefully stayed arm’s length away from the other boy. The island kids were skittish at best, worst? He didn’t know what this was. “It’s just” Jay started, sounding defeated enough Ben had to bite back a smile, “The island wasn’t the best. It was pretty bad, but…we knew who we were. We knew what to do. We had a purose. Our parent’s told us what to do and we had every way under the sun to get it done and…here it’s the opposite. There are a million rules on what you can or can’t do and you just…you follow them but why? And what are you doing and…the island sucked…but it was home.” Jay had been getting quieter and quieter as he spoke, enough that Ben was forced to break his self-imposed rule and get closer just to hear him. Even sharing the same breathing space, the word ‘home’ was almost inaudible. As soon as he heard it, the behavior and even Mal’s cloud caused a connection to click in Ben’s mind.

          “You’re homesick…all of you…you” He let out a breathless chuckle that had Jay glaring at him. “I…I thought you guys were turning evil again. You’re homesick, that can be fixed. Parent’s day is coming up. I’ll talk to my dad, we should at least be able to put internet in the isle long enough for a call. Maybe even something better, I mean, you guys have been making _great_ strides! It’s next week which is plenty of time to do whatever and—” He was cut off by a massive pile of Jay in his arms. He was also dimly aware of the fact that there was moisture on his shoulder. After a while, Jay was satisfied, with a final sniff he pulled away from the other boy.

          “Thanks” He croaked. His eyes were very slightly red rimmed and shone with still unshed tears. He nodded to himself. “That…it means a lot. You don’t even know.” He inclined his head to his room door. “I’ll…I’ll tell them the news.”

          “Wait” Ben stopped him right before he ducked back in. “Do your parent’s know? About the whole, renouncing evil thing?” Technically, only Mal had made the vow, but the others had promised to not engage in evil acts while at the school. Jay chuckled mirthlessly.

           “Well, I don’t know about Cruella or the Evil Queen, but I told Jafar I was thinking about making the vow-it’s anyone’s guess on if he was listening or not. Maleficent knows, she managed to put a time release spell on her letter so that Mal could _hear_ her yelling.” Ben’s face fell. There should have been no magic on the isle and so no way to do that. Jay continued, not noticing Ben’s face. “So, we might have to hear that one in real life, but that should be it.” He smiled down at Ben again. “Thank you…so much, again. I just.” With another overjoyed smile, he ducked back inside the room. The door had opened wide enough to see that the crier _was_ in fact Carlos, wearing a huge fur coat for some odd reason. Evie was comforting him. Jay closed the door again.

 

The next day, Ben went to his parents and begged them for a favor. He managed to get the Villain parents passes off the island to spend time with their kids, not just for parent’s day, but for the week afterward. It was a decision reached (by Belle) based on how well they were doing, though King Adam was a bit worried about backsliding. But two of the children had already taken the vow, so there was very little chance of anything going wrong. A few nights later, as Ben had been busy with something for a while, while Mal’s cloud was in a _mood_ all its own, Ben told them. There were gasps around the dinner table, then silence.

            “Guys?” Ben asked. “Did you hear me? Your parent’s are coming for the week.” Still silence. “They’ll be housed in the west tower of the palace?” He tried. “They’re going to have to wear special cuffs to keep them from preforming magic while they’re still dangerous, but if this works then we can reform the adults to! The entire island will be obsolete.” He was met by four stunned gazes. “Guys?” Mal snapped out of it first, her cloud clearing instantly as she shook her head and pinched herself.

             “Sorry, I just…a _week_? Your parent’s agreed to a week?” Ben nodded.

             “I was surprised too! But mom suggested it. She wanted to try and see if adults were able to be redeemed. She wanted to show them how happy you all were being good, right before the second batch comes in.” He nodded to himself. “I gave them the transfer requests once I found the next batch. They should be arriving a few days after your folks go. And you guys can be the welcoming committee for the next group. I made sure you were all friends.” Now the table was staring at him.

              “Ben?” Carlos started worriedly. “What friends?” Ben blinked at that.

              “We got the friend list from our first pick, Mal-you have a cousin, Veronica?”

               “Ummm, well, we were created using the same spell and we’re not sisters so, cousin. Yeah, that works. How’d she tell you anything? She can’t speak, and last I heard she couldn’t write either.” Ben nodded

            “We have to fix that. She used gestures, like, she flexed a lot and then made a huge shape over half her face. We found the girl that fit the description. Geneviève?” Jay shuddered, the other three snickered.

             “Viv is…yeah” Evie mused. “You can use her, she’s annoying but not really _dangerous_ on her own. Who else?”

             “Umm, next she picked up a stick and started swinging it around. We looked and found Hook’s son so…” He t railed off as the table erupted into laughter.

             “That’s not who she meant” Carlos said through the tears. “That is _so_ not who she meant, but he’s cool. Cooler than his sister anyway, she’s…” he gave another breathless laugh. “If you meet her you’ll understand our reaction” The table calmed a bit, Veronica had _not_ taken the opportunity to royally piss them off.

             “Well, when, not if. I’ll be sure to note the sister and put her on the next transfer request form. The last person she mentioned…or, not mentioned she made shadow puppets, I think that meant the son of the shadow man.” They looked uncomfortable at that. “You…do you guys not like him?” Jay snickered once, then purposefully looked away. Mal’s cloud reappeared and Evie grabbed her hand before it could engulf the whole room.

              “I’m going to wring her neck” Mal muttered darkly.

              “Does she even know you two broke up?” Carlos asked. Jay lost his battle and began to quietly laugh. Mal turned bright red.

              “We…we never…officially”

               “This is gonna be interesting” Jay smirked, turning back to the group. Mal forced herself to take deep breaths. Her cloud vanished again.

               “It’s fine.” Ben growled despite himself, and when the four looked at him he forcibly coughed to clear his throat. “It’s fine” He repeated. “Mal do you still…” He coughed again and shook his head. “If Mal would rather be with him then, sure. I’m…it’s your choice Mal” He forced himself to look up at her gently smirking face.

                “Ben, you’re worrying over nothing. We fought constantly over the _theoretical_ use of magic. When we can both use it it’ll be nothing but fighting for real. We are so not getting back together.” He took a deep breath, calming at that.

                “Oh well, your folks are coming for Parent’s day”

                “When is that again?” Carlos asked, feeding another scrap to thee dog in his hand.

                “Three days” The villain kids all stopped at that, horrified. “Guys?” The four got up and ran out of the lunch room, most of their food untouched.


	2. The meeting

Mal’s cloud somehow did not reappear, though the kids were obviously distraught. Mal was practicing her spells so hard her eyes and finger tips constantly glowed green. She muttered spells both that she had made up and in traditional Latin. She had checked out every magic book in the library to practice, using a notebook to write down any new spells she thought of, and even commandeered Jane into being her test subject. Evie was almost buried in her mirror, reapplying her makeup almost as soon as it was done. She’d gone through four tubes of lipstick and two entire eyeshadow color pallets in two days and was freaking out even more about the color she needed being used up. She had stopped talking to her friends, preferring to speak to the mirror and constantly seeming upset or even sad at the answer. Things had been going missing, though even more strange was that they were getting returned practically as soon as it was noticed that they were missing. Jay had bulging pockets, looser clothing, and seemed to be recording everything in a book. The only time he wasn’t in the book was when he was at tourney or flirting to get more stuff to record in the book. He’d managed to nick things from almost every girl in school and half the boys. And Carlos had given Dude to the tourney team to take care of. His white clothing seemed whiter, his darks darker. He jumped at every little sound and was in a mirror almost as much as Evie, though he was checking his hair.

When he got the news of the adults coming in, Ben went to the boys’ room to pick them all up. He knocked on the door and it swung open. The inside of the normally messy room was _spotless_. Save for Jay’s bed, which was almost dominated by his pile of stolen goods. Ben raised an eyebrow, on the one hand-this horde was a one way ticket back to the island…on the other, Jay seemed to be stress stealing. He took a few hesitant steps into the room to look around better. Carlos was stress cleaning by the look of things, and it wasn’t like either of them to leave their door open in the first place. Ben chanced another look at Carlos’ side of the room which, besides being in hospital order had no traits that there was _ever_ anything living that breathed on it. Carlos’ closet was open, his fur coats displayed and fluffed. Ben nodded to himself, before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him. That was mildly concerning. He squared his shoulders and prepared himself for whatever he might find in the girls’ room. He crossed the courtyard to the girls’ dorms and marched right up to their room. At that moment, his cell rang. He got on just long enough to get confirmation of the news. The adults were no longer on their way, they’d arrived. He knocked on the door and there was a muffled explosion behind it. Black smoke with a greenish hue billowed out the open door, followed by Mal-who was slightly smoking herself.

          “Hi Ben” She smiled, though it didn’t hit her eyes. Ben wordlessly pointed to her shoulder. She looked in confusion, then realized there was still blue fire there. She hurriedly stamped it out. It was then that he noticed that her hair had been tied up in an assortment of pins. It was cute, though the stressed out look on her face ruined any joy he might have derived of seeing his tough as nails girlfriend in cutesy little ponytails.

          “Um, I thought you should know that your parent’s have arrived.”

          “WHAT!!!!” Mal was the one in the doorframe, though all four of them tried to throw her out of the way to see the bearer of bad news.

          “It…it _couldn’t_ have been three days already!” Carlos gasped, Evie nodded beside him, though she probably couldn’t speak or even move her face very much with the grey mask caked on her.

          “It’s been two” Jay said, checking one of the many watches that adorned his wrists. Ben scowled at him, but took a deep breath.

          “Yes, parent’s day is tomorrow, but your parents’ had to be _sent_ for. They arrived. And they’ve been harassing every guard on the ship for the last,” He checked his phone and pretended not to notice the hungry gleam in Jay’s eyes as he did so. “Twenty minutes. When they saw land, they were expecting to see you. After fighting over the telescope they started screaming because you four weren’t there. I went to the boys’ room to get you, then got…” he paused to glare at Jay, who at least had the decency to look down. He’d have seemed more ashamed if not for the four sets of earrings, one of which he recognized as Audrey’s pearls. He wordlessly held out his hand, and Jay started to strip himself of the eighteen watches, the earrings, and the necklaces around his throat that Ben had thought were a part of his shirt. The prince shook his head at the thief, who hid behind a frantic Evie. She was gesturing at her face and clothes, Carlos trying in vain to calm her. Mal turned to smile at her boyfriend.

          “Stall them,” She said, with a note of panic in her voice. “Please! Give them a tour of the school, talk them a history lesson anything! We need,” She stopped to look back. There was a dull roar from whatever had caused the explosion in the room before more smoke came out, denser this time. “Ten minutes” She assured him. He nodded a bit.

          “I’ll try to give you twenty” He promised with a peck to her cheek. He ran off as she literally _shoved_ her friends back into the room. She was shouting at them, though what he didn’t catch as he sprinted to the river by the school. There were about 30 guards trembling in their boots at the villains, only two of which were even screaming. Jafar looked mostly bored, though his shifty eyes never settled on anything for more than a moment before moving again. Cruella and the Evil Queen were the screamers, demanding to see their children. In Cruella’s case to talk some sense into her son. The Evil Queen was ranting about the moisture quality causing wrinkles in her little girl. Maleficent was causing the most fear, though she was standing perfectly still. Whoever her narrowed eyes landed on started to shudder and in a few cases fell to their knees. She was the one that noticed Ben, causing the guards to part with just a dismissive hand gesture. There were a few that kept weapons trained on the obviously dangerous woman, but not many. She practically skipped to Ben.

         “I know you” She chuckled as she looked him over. “Prince Ben, heir to the throne,” She curtsied at him, and though it felt more mocking than anything, politeness made him bow back…well, politeness and a shiver that crawled up the back of spine. “And,” she continued, with a smile that had a bit too much teeth, “the one that made my darling daughter lose her way” She chuckled again as she rose, but it was more than a little dangerous. “So nice to meet you in person. But _where_ is Malignance?” It was a genuine struggle to rise and meet her eyes, the cold in said eyes had him aching to curl up in a little ball.

          “Mal sent me ahead. She wanted to make sure everything was perfect for your arrival my lady. She wasn’t aware you’d be here quite so soon” She smiled again, tightlipped was somehow more terrifying than the maw full of teeth, and continued to stroke her Raven…wait, raven? When had that gotten there? As his eyes were drawn to it, the bird cawed at him harshly, causing him to stubble back and fall over his own feet. She gave a supercilious little hum at seeing him at her feet, and he scrambled up. The damage was done, his coat had grass stains, his pants mud. He was flustered and disheveled and did not look like a prince let alone one fit for Mal. He suddenly got a very clear glimpse into what her life was like and why she was the way she was

           " Well” Maleficent continued, her voice gaining the breathy quality it often did when she was making fun of something so ridiculously beneath her the amusement was in speaking to them like they mattered, “Now she should be aware. She must if she sent… _you_ ” The woman made a sort of amused hum again. “That still leads to her not being here. I didn’t ask for you. I asked for her. So where is my _daughter?_ ” She was suddenly very angry. Ben wasn’t quite sure how he knew that. Her voice hadn’t gotten any louder, her position hadn’t changed, the smile was even still playing around her lips. Her _voice_ , she had lost all amusement and for the first time in his life he floundered for words to say.

          “W-w” He coughed, both to clear his throat and to stop being quite so unnerved by the powerless woman in front of him. She wasn’t even _trying_ to use her powers, her cuffs would have glowed if she did. “Would you like a tour around the school?” He asked.

          “I would like my child” She said. She wasn’t using her magic. She could not shrink him, it was impossible. So why did he feel an inch tall? She couldn’t even properly look down her nose at him, he was only a few inches shorter than her. Yet she managed to make him feel like a bug she was about to crush.

          “Mal…Mal is—”

          “Malignance is not here right now, which is where she should be.” Maleficent continued. Every non villain besides Ben was currently shrinking away from the woman if not cowering at the floor from her mere presence. The villains were smirking at prince.

          “I…she…she’s” Ben was saved by the voice of an angel.

          “MOM!” Mal tore to her mother. Maleficent’s intimidating miasma vanished as if it had never been there in the first place. Ben hadn’t noticed that he couldn’t breathe until he could. Whatever was going on with Maleficent and that ability, he hoped it wasn’t hereditary. Mal ran into the open arms of her mother and inhaled her sent for when she left again.

          "Mal, I was wondering where you got to” Maleficent said, one arm wrapped around her daughter’s waist while the other ran fingers through her hair. “You were supposed to be here when I arrived. But we’ll sort out a punishment for that later.” Mal stiffened almost imperceptibly and Maleficent did not pause in her hair stroking. “And where are your little friends?” She asked. Mal looked up at her mother, then gestured to the figures coming over the hill. Carlos was helping Evie avoid the mud while also keeping his precious fur from it. Keeping fur from mud was easier said than done, as his boots, jeans, and jacket all had a wide fur trim on them. Evie was in long shimmery blue dress, hair artfully arranged in a tight French bun, and makeup flawless. Once the mud was clear the two separated, going to their respective mothers.

          “Carlos” Cruella purred. “I was worried that ridiculous vow meant you were going to let your furs go dingy. They look marvelous” She spun her son in her arms to look at him a bit. “And look, so do you. Now that’s rare” She laughed at him, and Carlos took the little jab with a chuckle of his own. “Now, now. Kisses darling, carful you’re going to make your dear old mother think you no longer like her, _kisses_.” Carlos grinned and the two gave Parisian style cheek pecks to one another. As soon as they were done she started grilling him on the fashion of the school, chiding him when he didn’t automatically know. Evie on the other hand carefully went to her mother and curtsied deeply.

          “Mother” She said, making sure to keep her head high and her vowels elongated. The Evil Queen nodded to her.

          “Evie. You’re looking” She stopped to look at her daughter, sneering slightly. “Well, you tried your best I’m sure.” Evie nodded.

          “I ran out of a few colors. I did what I could with what limited I had” The Evil Queen nodded indulgently.

         “I can tell.” She produced a tube of lipstick and a handkerchief. “This color should work better” Evie complied immediately, rubbing off the old color and accepting the new. Her mother took the handkerchief back and nodded at the difference. “Well, for running out of your best, you did well I suppose. You almost look halfway decent.” Evie smiled tightly. “Halfway decent is better than passable” The Queen Evelin smiled at her daughter. “So you’re getting there. I warn you, don’t slack, or worse-gorge yourself on bad food. I’ll make a list of what foods are good and bad for your skin.”

           “Thank you mother” Evie smiled. She rose gently and almost, _almost_ worried her lip before she remembered. “Is it good enough for a hug?” She ventured. Queen Evelin thought for a moment, before opening her arms for her daughter.

          “Mind your makeup” She warned, and Evie took the few steps into the embrace. Thought the exchanges Jafar just smirked, eyes still darting about until they settled on a leaf that was too green to have fallen without assistance.

          “Better” He called into the tree. “Not quite good enough yet. But better. You almost got within a foot of me that time.” Jay dropped down silently, two more leaves accompanying him.

          “Sorry” He said. “Easy targets make training a bit difficult.” Jafar hummed at that, and Jay produced a dozen class rings on one hand. Jafar raised an eyebrow at the jeweled emblems.

          “Not the next big thing, but I’ll take it” Jay and Jafar shook hands, and when Jay pulled his hand away it was clear of the rings. “And you are?”

          “On a sports team” Jay smirked. “Best one there, gets me invited to a lot of parties” Jafar nodded.

          “That’s my boy” Jay smiled, though it still didn’t reach his eyes. “We should probably get going though. We were resisting so that we could see you and now we have. It’s best we get some rest for tomorrow.” His voice had risen at the last part and the other villains reluctantly left the way they’d been told to go before, waving at the children. Ben was mildly worried, but all in all-this was going to go great.

 

* * *

 

 

 

  _ ~~Rotten to the Core~~  _

 

 

 

* * *

 

          “Does everyone have their ingredients?” Maleficent asked when the four finished settling into the suite that would be their home for the next week. Jafar produced one of the ring’s Jay had given him, plucked closest to his sweaty palms. Cruella removed her rubber lips and handed them over. Evelin gave the woman her handkerchief. “Lovely” Maleficent purred, producing a few strands of Mal’s hair. “I might not have magic, but I can still make a little potion. By the end of the week not only will our children be ours, but all of Auradon.” She spoke lowly, but the smile on her face was downright malicious. Her friends chuckled around her. She’d gotten the hard ingredients, now was just to find a kitchen.


	3. Parent's day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys would be kind enough to drop a review pretty please! I know it's terrible, but I like live for validation of any kind. please?

 Maleficent had a better night’s sleep in her life. It was just very hard to recall as it had happened so very long ago. She had been allowed luggage, a few of her best robes, her old crown, and a very powerful scepter—one she’d had to pull in an old favor to shrink down and get through security. It was a treasured position, one she’d been holding onto for what seemed like forever. As Sunday reared its head, Maleficent’s plan for the children was put on hold by unfortunate necessities. Parent’s ‘day’ did not start until the afternoon, but most of the guests were arriving and socializing. Ben was kind enough to allow even the villains this chance, though if they took it was up to them.

        “Lady Maleficent?” Maleficent woke top the gentle voice. There was a young woman in a floor length, long sleeved, brown plain dress with no shape or design. “Your breakfast” She stepped back and rolled forward a tray full of food. She took the first tray and handed it to the woman still in bed with a gentle smile. Maleficent accepted and the woman gave a bow of her head, then she began the daily ritual of getting the other ready for the day. Maleficent hummed as she watched the girl putter around and lay out her outfit for the day. Though she was evil, banished, and destitute; there was a time when she’d been practically worshiped. Something was very wrong with the woman.

          “You’re not a servant” She sneered at the woman ironing her robes. The girl moved the iron away from her clothing but did pause.

          “What tipped me off?” She inquired.

          “You don’t move correctly” Maleficent allowed. “Even when I’ve just woken, the slaves were always a bit jumpy. And they _never_ dared to look me in the eye, let alone wake me.” The young woman had the decncy to blush.

          “Prince Ben didn’t want you to feel trapped…or not trusted…or watched…or uncomfortable…or” Maleficent raised her open palm dismissing the woman.

          “So who are you really?” She asked the young woman. The girl gave a smile and ripped a bit of her dress to reveal the amour underneath.

          “I am Lady Diana, a princess from a neighboring country. A _warrior_ country. Themyscira has had an unprecedented era of peace, but we still train constantly. That being said, when king Adam saw how easily you manipulated the guards, he practically begged for our assistance. You made quite a stir yesterday” Maleficent nodded her understanding of the situation, a smile tugging at her lips.

          “Well, nice to know they haven’t underestimated me.” She then took a carful nibble of her toast. “But if my escort is a princess, you’ve got to look the part. I packed a few extra robes. Black of course.” Diana gave a mirthless chuckle and an incline of her head at that.

          “I would be honored good lady” At Maleficent’s raised eyebrow she continued. “Well, so far you’ve only proven yourself evil when confronted with disrespect. You’re not unhappy I would assume, feared enough to have the guard changed out just for you.” Maleficent thought for a moment.

          “My friends?”

          “They are all fearsome in their own right. They also have guards from my country. None of them have the once crown _princess,_ but…” Diana trailed of at the smirk on the other’s face. She had to stop herself from scoffing. The king had warned her this would be difficult, all he needed to do was remind himself of her crime. Maleficent was a queen, and when a queen was slighted they tended to be quite petty. So to keep her from being petty, it was best not to offend her. With that in mind, Diana and Maleficent got along swimmingly…well, as swimmingly as they could within opposing factions.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Parent’s day, or at least the morning before the children arrived, was a bore. The villains each had two attendants (only one of which actually was a servant) and three guards, with the exception of Maleficent. Her new attendant was properly terrified of her, but Diana stood next to her, getting most things before the poor thing had time to be terrified. As Maleficent was a bit both shorter and thinner than Diana, she had ripped apart a nightgown, her armor poking through where there wasn’t enough fabric. Queen Evelin didn’t like how she managed to look regal in rags and steel, but Diana buttered her up with compliments on her makeup and gown, a royal blue form fitting thing with a queen Ann neckline. The comlime3nts did their job. Within no time the queen was gushing about how it was the same dress she’d worn when Snow White’s father had first seen her. Jafar rolled his eyes at how easily she was swayed, before he too was distracted by his own Themysciran. She had requested to see a few of the tricks he was known for…and she _was_ wearing what must have been pyrite earrings. Cruella’s attendants were also in different outfits then they’d arrived in, but that was Cruella’s own fashion sense not allowing the monstrosities she had been faced with that morning. In between asking for Carlos she ordered for different condiments to create fur like patterns in finger paint. The villains were kept separate from the others on a covered balcony. At the beginning of their private party the organza curtains were held back to see the gardens below, but one of them was shut, the solid gold embezzled holding that one had vanished. There were hors d'oeuvres traveling around, both by the attendants and the guards, which Jafar picked at. He seemed to be the only one not constantly asking after his child, though Cruella was distracted and mostly asked for Carlos to hand her something before she noticed he wasn’t there. This was solved by getting her the object almost as soon as she mentioned it so that she didn’t notice her son’s absence. There was a great fanfare, then the curtains on the other side of the balcony opened to reveal the children along with Ben and Doug.

          “Evie, we have to get a better bell” Queen Evelin explained. Doug blinked in confusion, until Queen Evelin took and rang a small silver bell. Evie crossed to her mother instantly and bowed deeply.

          “Sorry mother, I didn’t hear it, otherwise I’d have been here much sooner.” Evelin smiled.

          “Oh I know dear. It wasn’t your fault, we just need a better bell. I can always get a better bell, I can’t _possibly_ get a better you.” She smiled down at her daughter. “Wait” She looked over at Maleficent. “Can I?” Maleficent thought for a bit.

          “There might be a spell for that” Evie froze. “It’d be a bit more difficult than getting a new bell”

          “You know me” Evelin smirked. “Only the best. But my Evie is the best. It’s the bell’s fault. _Isn’t it_?” Evie almost managed to nod her head off.

          “Yes mother, the bell. Replace that…not…I mean, I’m” She coughed as she tried to get another breath. Her once evil friends looked on in sympathy; the friends that had never been evil looked on in confusion. Doug ran to her rescue.

          “Evie, you said that you wanted to introduce me to your mother?” She took the lifeline, even if it was a lie. In actuality, she’d been trying to convince him from last night that he should avoid her mother like the plague though he’d said he wanted very much to meet the woman.

          “Mother, this is Doug. My boyfriend” Queen Evelin rose her eyebrow as she looked him over.

          “ _This_ is the handsomest Auradon Prep has to offer?” She asked reproachfully. Doug felt the tips of his ears go red along with the rest of his face. Evie coughed. “Is he at least a powerful prince?” Evie bit her lip as she shook her head in the negative. “I see” the queen said dismissively. She then rang the bell again, a test ring. Evie stood still as a stone.

          “Evie” Doug whispered. “Are you alright?” The bell rang again, and Evie lost the ability to breathe, trapped in her own mind. Doug looked up at Evelin who was still messing with it. “Umm, miss?” Evelin abruptly stopped playing with her bell to look at the boy holding up her near comatose daughter. Her lip curled downward. “Could I ask you to just stop ringing that thing?” He didn’t see his friend’s reactions, but Ben saw them. Saw how Jay stopped breathing, how Carlos took a precautionary step back. Mal grabbed his hand in pure fear, eyes blown out. There was a stay bolt of lightning that came from her, and oddly enough, that was what broke the tension. At the lightning, everyone’s eyes traveled to the young purple haired girl. Maleficent had a grin.

          “Ahhh Mal! That was power. Come here let me see you” With the attention off of her, Doug was able to get Evie breathing again with a few hard pats to the back. As she came to she started gasping. Jay was there before she attract attention again. Maleficent was still bragging about her daughter’s power. Jay quickly gave Evie a paper bag to breathe into and caught Mal’s eye from his spot on the ground. She begin to go through the routine she’d been practicing since she was aware that her mother was coming over. Evie was put back together by Jay and Doug under the nose of her mother and by the time Mal finished showing off, she was standing upright and had even fixed the stray hairs that had flown in her fall. She took her compact and checked for any issues in her makeup while Jay took the opportunity to steal the silver bell. Mal took that as a signal to do her finale. The purple shimmers swirled together into a large purple dragon, which circled the balcony twice before it flapped its wings and climbed into the air. It might have caused a bit of fear to the guest not on the balcony. But it snarled, then released a jet of ice blue fire. Right before it hit the guests the smoke, fire, and dragon exploded into butterflies of purple and green. There was a round of applause for the teen, which Mal bowed for.

          “I practiced really hard. I’m a natural with magic!” She smiled at her mother, hoping for some approval. Maleficent dabbed at her dry eyes.

          “I knew you would be. Like mother like daughter, a natural at magic, a natural at evil” Mal looked up at her mother in horror then.

          “I believe you’re suffering from Delusions of Grandeur my dear” Cruella snickered. She then stepped away from her attendants to assess her work. She snapped, holding out her hand for something. The guards were confused, but Carlos crossed to his mother with an open sketchbook and a pen. She took the offered items without so much as a thanks to her child and he stood just behind her as she worked in such a state of pure concentration it was a wonder she’d heard the declaration to comment on it. Maleficent laughed at her back, then turned back to her daughter.

          “I raised you all your life, suffered for you, bled for you to even exist. And you left me. You had the fortuitous luck to be in a position to free everyone, but you choose instead to condemn us all to suffer on that miserable island to further your own prospects” She smiled big at Mal’s horrified face. “And told us all you would help! Got our hopes up for nothing!” Maleficent hugged her daughter, who had genuine tears streaming down her face. “I’m so proud! I was nowhere near as evil at your age! And you even managed to convince others you were doing right to the point you managed to assure yourself of that fact!” She laughed brightly, then looked at Mal, who was choking up. Her face fell. “Oh sweetie, you didn’t know? Oh I knew as soon as it happened it’s just your nature” Mal gasped as she sobbed.

          “No doing that” Evelin said to Evie. The blue haired teen looked up at her mother. “You’ll ruin your makeup with histrionics like that” The queen tsked at Mal. Evie nodded, even as Doug looked at the exchange in revulsion. Ben looked legitimately _angry_ at Maleficent, who did seem genuinely distressed at Mal’s reaction.

          “Shush, no crying sweetheart. Evil Queens don’t cry.” Mal started sobbing harder. “How about you show me to the kitchens and I make my famous cobbler” That managed to reduce Mal to sniffles. “It’ll taste even better without rotten fruit” The teenager worried her lip. “And you’ll be able to see the secret ingredient this time.” That did it. Mal rubbed away her tears and started to guide her mother to the kitchens. Ben stopped them.

          “Mal you don’t honestly think that stopping the destruction of Auradon constituted as an evil action do you?” He asked.

          “Well of course not” Maleficent snipped from behind him. “Actions don’t matter, intentions do. Everyone knows that my dear boy. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to tach my daughter how to make my famous cobbler. Or is that now an evil _action_?” Maleficent asked. At once, the warm summer day seemed like it was dead winter, at least to Ben.

          “How is baking a cobbler ever evil?” He asked, trying to stand his ground against the woman.

          “Simple. Evie over there is obsessed with beauty, as are at least a few more girls in this school. Bake an addictive cobbler and if they eat too much their looks are ruined. Or get everyone addicted and extort them for whatever you want. Really now, you think far too small.” With that she pushed past the stunned prince and practically manhandled Mal into showing her where the kitchen was. Diana went after them without needing to be prompted, but by the concerned look on her face, she was also more than a little worried. Her three guards also dispatched after a beat.

          “HA!” Cruella finished her project then. As Carlos looked at the book, he couldn’t help but to give out a whistle. That was the wrong thing to do. Dude had been downstairs, but at hearing the whistle, ran past those watching him and began to bound to his friend.

          “Mom you outdid yourself. They look stunning.” He marveled, looking at the designs, which had been recorded in the book he held. Evie craned her neck around her mother, who was sniffing at the dresses.

          “Now Evie, I adore dear Cruella, but only when she’s using her talent to make me look better” Queen Evelin stated. “But they’re just servants. Why waste the effort? It’s not like they’ll look any better. You’re either born with it or you wear enough makeup to attain it.” She informed her daughter. Doug opened his mouth to say something to that, but was cut off by Evie.

          “Of course mother. But Makeup only _helps_ the face. You have to have a base for it.” Her mother nodded. “And you have to get your base ready however you can” Her mother nodded again.

          “Beauty is pain” The two intoned. Doug looked at his girlfriend like it was the first time he’d seen her, a shiver running down his back.

          “And of course, you need to make sure the base is perfect for the makeup to even have a chance” Evelin stated. Evie nodded. Before their conversation could get any more disturbing, a dog raced through the balcony. Cruella screamed and ran as Carlos dropped the sketchbook to catch his friend and give Dude a scratch behind the ears.

          “CARLOS” Cruella demanded. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT VICIOUS BEAST!!!!” Carlos blushed.

          “Oh…umm…this is Dude…he’s mine” Cruella’s eyes widened. Queen Evelin readied her smelling salts, Jafar covered his ears. For a moment it seemed the woman _would_ scream or faint. Carlos, in pure fear put Dude down, patting him on the head and shooing him away. Ben was nice enough to take the dog back downstairs for him. His mother’s eyes narrowed onto his once white shirt.

          “You’re filthy” She growled out finally. It was like she had slashed him with a hot poker. He ripped off his jacket and shirt, uncaring of the scars that littered his body, though Doug did gasp at them. Evie grasped his face when she heard the sound and dragged him into a kiss. There was nothing wrong with his ears. He heard quite clearly the sounds of flesh being hit, the sounds of the heavy armored guards moving, the sound of them being thrown. He could hear Carlos begging, Cruella screaming, even the guards that were sent running for Ben or King Adam. When Evie let go of him, Cruella was mildly roughed up, there were four guards with weapons trained on her. Two of them had gone to get Ben, and were now back. The last three were guarding the door. Her armored attendant had her in a chokehold with her arms forced behind her. Carlos’ shirt was back on, but he was bleeding through spots in it. His breathing was labored and he was leaning against Jay.

          “WHAT HAPPENED” Ben barked.

          “There was a dog” Cruella stated plainly. I ran away and your guards seemed to think I would attack something. My dear Carlos ran to, but into a glass table. You should be careful where you put those someone can get hurt!” Ben blinked at the obvious lie, as did the guards and Doug.

          “Carlos” Ben asked. The dual colored head turned to him. “What happened here?”

          “Dude…Dude ran up…I mean, you know that, you were here for that. I…um…I had a…a delayed reaction panic attack! Yeah that’s it. I…I’m still afraid of dogs. Not as over it as I thought. And…seeing mom panic made me panic…cause you know, moms are supposed to be the strong ones. Seeing mom panic caused a delayed panic…and then I ran into the table” Ben stared at his friend. Evie seemed to be under the impression that if she didn’t look anywhere near the train wreck it wasn’t happing. Jay was staring at his friend with an expression that could only be described as ‘no one is that _stupid_ ’. Ben stared for a long time.

          “Sir” One of the guards started. Ben silenced him with a hand.

          “Carlos,” He said slowly. “If something… _anything_ is happening, I can’t do anything unless you tell me.” His gaze flickered to Cruella, who was stanch and unmoving. “So if you have anything to say. I can keep her in a locked room until she leaves, or even send her back early.” Carlos bit his lip. “Anything?” Ben asked. Carlos took a deep breath. Cruella snapped her fingers behind her back. Carlos was instantly terrified again.

          “I ran into a table” Carlos said almost mechanically. Ben bit his lip, then reluctantly nodded.

          “If that’s the story you’re going to go with” Carlos nodded jerkily. Ben groaned. “If Carlos said she didn’t do anything to him, then let her go.”

          “WHAT” Asked the Themysciran while the rest of the guard stepped away without complaint. “You can plainly see he’s not alright! Why would you just let him lie to your face? I’ll tell you what happened she attacked him unprovoked!” Ben smiled at the woman sadly.

          “In the absence of a victim, there can be no perpetrator.” He recited sadly. “Lesson number five thousand and six of things that I have to remember. Let her go” The woman snarled, but complied, liberating Cruella. The fashion guru rubbed at her sore neck, then held out her hand. Carlos almost ran in the effort to make it under her hand before she dropped it. She rewarded him for his lie with a ruffle to his hair. Ben felt a growl rising as the urge to rip the woman’s head off did. He took a deep breath and sent a wish to the fairy godmother that he make it through the week. He was going to have to slip a dollar into the Adam was right and Belle was wrong jar. This was shaping up to be a terrible idea.


	4. The start of the End

 With Carlos refusing to say anything about his mother’s abuse, there was nothing that could be done for him. So they sent the boy to the infirmary ward for a few bandages.

          “I should sue” Cruella sighed dramatically. “Hurting my poor sweet baby with that table! And then attacking me, _harassing_ me, and worst of all, harming my precious designs. That monster could have ruined me!” Ben rolled his eyes and tuned her out as she turned to pick up the fallen papers, though he did get a glance at them. The woman was _talented_. Why had she been murdering puppies? She was brilliant enough to make something out of rags and condiments. The tickle of an idea wedged itself in the back of his mind. But he was snapped out of it by the once queen Evelin getting upset at Evie.

          “You’ve eaten enough! And you know Maleficent’s going to be snippy if you don’t eat her cobbler. Do you really want to cause an incident because you filled up on tapenade?” Evie looked down at her mother’s chastisement, though if Doug’s disgusted face was anything to go by, she hadn’t eaten enough to cause such a reaction. Evie curtsied anyway.

          “I’m sorry mother, I wasn’t thinking. May I still be allowed to have desert? Mistress Maleficent makes the _best_ deserts. I don’t want to miss it.” Evelin thought for a while, then nodded with a small smile.

          “So long as you promise to diet once we’re gone. That woman is planning on cooking for all of you until we go.” That caused a gasp from Evie and Jay, but a quick glance at their faces showed that they were _delighted_. “She’ll never admit it, but she missed cooking for you and your friends. Apparently, she likes her efforts to be appreciated. She’s wanted to know where the kitchen was to sneak down and make you all French toast in the morning.”

          “Wasn’t that supposed to be a _secret_?” Cruella hissed from where she was trying to finish the interrupted sketch. Evelin scoffed.

          “Not if everyone still acts surprised and no one tells her” That caused a scoff from both Cruella and Jafar. She’d find out, she knew everything even without her powers.

          “Sire” Ben turned to see a mildly worried guard…one of the ones that had run off with Maleficent. “Um…her Ladyship…her Evilness, her…her”

          “What did Maleficent say?” The guard gave an easy breath at not having to figure out her title.

          “That she’s sure you all are done with this silly food and that she’s sure you want something sweet.” Ben nodded “Also” The guard continued. “That if Cruella did not behave she would not have a pleasant vacation, though I don’t know who Cruella is, she just told me to repeat the phrase” Jay chanced a look at the woman. Though she hadn’t taken the sketchbook from her face, she was stock still and tense. He smirked. The group moved, though not to the kitchens. They went to a smaller dining room, where Carlos was already sitting and stuffing his face, though one arm was in a sling. There was a casserole dish with a large piece of cobbler already missing and a giggling duo next to the table.

          “I can’t believe” Mal said laughing “That I’ve had the whole recipe all along!” Maleficent shook her head, still smirking.

          “No, no, no, no, no” She chided gently, giggling herself. “You didn’t have the most important ingredient until today!”

          “MOM!” Mal giggled. “Waving your hands and saying ‘Evil’ over and over doesn’t do anything!” She demonstrated by wiggling her fingers over the dish. Evie giggled a bit at the two, and Ben smiled at seeing at least a small amount of correct parental affection. Maleficent tsked her and grabbed her hands to put her into motions more like she was waving over a cauldron.

          “No, no, no-you have to do it with **_intention_** ” Mal giggled again and Maleficent released her hands with a genuine smile on her features. “Even if it doesn’t make it taste better, at the very least you can pretend you’re cooking it with a bit of magic in the mix!” Jafar nodded at that

          “Everything tastes better with magic” He whispered to Jay conspireingly. His son gave a small chuckle at that.

          “We _did_ cook it with magic” Mal reminded with a smile. Maleficent’s face fell then, suddenly sad.

          “We did…We used your magic cause I…I don’t” Mal’s smile dropped instantly, her face horrified. Carlos stopped eating and any joy in the room was suddenly sucked out. Mal got an idea then, she turned and waved her hands over the cobbler in the _correct_ motion.

          “Evil” She started. “Evil, _Evil_ , _Evil_ , **_Evil_** , **_EVIL_**!” Maleficent chuckled sadly at that, which caused her daughter to look up at her hopefully. Carlos reached over and took another slice of cobbler.

          “Lady Maleficent” He said shocked. “You were so right, this does taste better!” That one managed another chuckle, this one reluctant but with actual joy. She gestured to the rest of the cobbler.

          “Well now that the secret ingredient’s been added I think it’s alright for everyone to eat” She smiled. They all sat and were served, but Doug got a text.

          “I’m so sorry” He said as he looked down. “My dad said he couldn’t make it, but he was surprising me.” He looked at Evie. “Do you mind?” She smiled at him and gave him a kiss. An icy voice stopped him.

          “You’re not even going to _try_ my cobbler?” Maleficent asked dangerously. Doug was not stupid. This woman was vindictive in the worst way. Even if she was powerless, he wasn’t going to give her any reason to be mad at him ever.

          “I have to go…but could I take about eight pieces with me? One for me, one for my dad, and six for his brothers. They love deserts, I’m sure yours even more than most.” He tried to smile at that, but only managed a mediocre twitch. How on earth was it that she went from kind, sweet, and silly mother of the best friend to his girlfriend to this demoness in front of him? She thought for a minute then waved at him dismissively.

          “Very well” She sniffed as the others took that as a cue to eat. “I just want to see their faces at the first bite. I need to make sure it’s good.”

          “Lady Maleficent your deserts are always amazing! They won’t feel right eating anything else ever again!” Maleficent beamed down at Jay as he complimented with a full mouth. She couldn’t ruffle his hair due to the beanie so she settled for patting him on the head. Doug took his extra pieced and ran before she could switch again.

          “Jafar I’ve told you once I’ll tell you again, your son has good taste”. The Man chuckled from his spot on the wall.

          “He needs to, so that he knows what’s junk and what to steal.” Neither villain noticed Jay’s blush at that, or the fact that his eating slowed, but Ben saw it and frowned. Jafar sat next to his son with a nod and was served his own piece.

          “Ben?” He looked over at Mal’s questioning tone. “Aren’t you going to try your cobbler?” He looked down at the desert he’d yet to take a bite out of, before giving a sidelong glance to Diana. She nodded almost imperceptibly and he smiled back at his girlfriend.

          “Sorry, I kinda…ya know, _deserts_?” Mal had the decency to blush at that.

          “Sorry, this one is fine I swear” She made a show out of taking a huge bite out of her own serving. “See?” She asked around a mouthful. Evie laughed at that and Evelin reached for the bell. When she couldn’t automatically find it, she settled for clearing her throat a bit too loudly.

          “Jafar” Evelin snipped at him. The man looked over to his friend’s expectant face. “I seem to have misplaced my bell. You wouldn’t know anything about that would you?” He chuckled

          “I was wondering when you’d notice. Jay took it before Maleficent and her daughter even left to start baking.” She scowled at the young thief and he handed it back with a smile. Once she got it back Queen Evelin wasted no time in giving it a practice ring. Evie instantly sat up straighter and took small delicate bites of her cobbler.

            “Mistress Maleficent, if I have not already, I would like to compliment on your delicious cooking.” Maleficent narrowed her eyes at Evie.

            “You _told_ ” She accused Queen Evelin, whose eyes widened.

           “I did not! She found out somehow!” The woman insisted. “Maybe your daughter found out and managed to communicate it to her!”

          “Mal has been here this whole time!” She protested. Evelin shrugged. Ben looked at the exchange in mild horror, but Mal fed him a piece from her plate as a distraction. It worked, he smiled and ate it off her fork. Maleficent raised an eyebrow at that. She seemed to be torn between scowling at Ben for daring, gagging at the overall adorability of it, or awing herself. She settled for sniffing at it, hiding the smile that played around her lips with a disapproving look down her nose.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The four kids all slept in the boys’ room that night. Argument or no, the next morning the kids did all wake to a delectable smell. There were, laid out, four plates of French toast drowning in syrup complete with bacon, eggs, slices of apple, strawberries, and orange juice. Somehow Maleficent had snuck down to the kitchens, made them breakfast, carted it the whole way back, found out where they were, broken into their room, and set everything up for them…all before six in the morning and without waking them up.

          “Mal” Jay said. “I can’t figure out if your mom is a demon or an angel.” He took a bite of the crispy bacon with a smile.

          “She’s going to be here all week, you can ask her in person after class you know!?” He nodded, but couldn’t speak due to taking a huge bite from his French toast. Carlos took a bite as well, almost moaning.

          “Oh my god” He groaned “It tastes even better without moldy bread” Evie nodded her agreement with a mouth full of orange juice. Mal wasn’t as effected, she’d eaten her mother’s cooking almost every day for her life, but they were _right_. French toast was a rare treat on the island as her mother had to scavenge for months to find all the ingredients, but with the correct ingredients and a full kitchen, it was like heaven in her mouth.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The villains were gathered in Cruella’s room. Her room was the only one actually soundproofed as she was the only one they didn’t need to listen for as she couldn’t chant spells that Prince Ben warned them might actually work. It was an ingenious plan. Maleficent, right after coming back from dropping off food to the children, stormed up to the door. Jafar was on her heals as that he helped carry the trays and get her in.

          “It startled her. You can’t blame her for her reaction!” Evelin woke up at the commotion as her room was right next to Cruella’s.

          “What’s going on here?” She yawned as she exited her room. Jafar was using both his body and his staff to physically block Maleficent from Cruella’s room.

          “Ah Evelin! Maybe you can help so that Cruella _makes it back_ to the island.” That woke up the woman.

          “Maleficent” She warned. “We were told not to cause any trouble, beside frowning gives you wrinkles” Maleficent snarled.

          “His arm was in a sling” She threw Jafar aside and stormed into the room. Evelin chanced a glance at the guards, the same one from yesterday. Jafar stormed in after Maleficent to stop her even as the ex-Queen gave a breathless smile.

          “Hello there…we just…early morning conversation” She ducked into the room after the two of them, closing the door tight behind her. Instantly the sounds of Maleficent’s screaming were shut out. One of the guards got up to open the door, another stopped him.

          “Let’s be honest Frank. She deserves whatever she gets.” Frank nodded.

          “I know but, we’re supposed to be protecting her aren’t we?” His companion thought a bit.

          “We can protect her in five minutes.” Frank nodded, going back to his post.

 

 

* * *

 

 

          “We don’t have a lot of time” Maleficent hissed as soon as the door shut. She turned to Evelin. “Do you have it?” The Evil Queen reached into the pocket of her nightgown and pulled out a mirror shard from the one back home.

          “What are we waiting for exactly?” Cruella snapped. Her question was answered as the mirror shard started to glow. It spit out items, a tube of lipstick, a ring, a hairpin, and skin cream.

          “YES!” Maleficent stopped and gave a worried glance to the door.

          “What are they?” Jafar asked. She grabbed the ring and gave it to him.

          “A ring for a ring” She tossed the cream to Cruella, “Skin for skin” Evelin had already grabbed the lipstick to inspect the color, Maleficent herself took off her ever present helmet to clip in the hairpin. “These are how we win. They are our children!” She was giddy as she hurriedly shoved her long hair back beneath the horns.

          “My son is a jar of _lotion_?” Cruella asked. Maleficent scoffed at the woman.

          “Whosoever bears these items will control the person they’re associated with. The spell changes their thoughts into what we think would be best for them. You hate dogs? He’s going to find them a lot more disturbing. That furry little thing won’t be a problem for much longer.” Cruella’s eyes widened and she almost dropped the jar in her effort to get some on.

          “What are the side effects?” Jafar asked, eyeing the ring in his palm worriedly as Evelin used the mirror to correctly apply the lipstick.

          “None” Maleficent smirked as she finished getting her helmet back on. “Since their thoughts are changed and not them, they’re thoughts just start to change back until we put them back on. They won’t even know it was us unless the spell gets broken.”

          “Broken!” Evelin snapped up at that. “How does it get broken!?” Maleficent gave a truly _evil_ laugh as Jafar slipped on the ring.

          “We would have to return the items to them ourselves. I used a bit of our D.N.A. too, just to make sure.” There was a breathless laugh from Jafar.

          “Now _that_ is brilliant” He smiled at his old friend and she laughed as well. Then the door creaked. The guards rushed into the room to find a cursing and screaming Maleficent being held back from a cowering Cruella by Jafar as the Evil Queen tried and failed to talk the situation down. The guards were slightly disappointed as they tore the group apart to send them to their own rooms to get ready. Prince Ben had arranged a luncheon with his mother, as his father hadn’t wanted to meet any of them.


	5. Belle's Research

Belle had few life choices that she regretted. Most of the ones she regretted were only regretted for a short while, but there were a select few that were genuinely awful choices that she had to wonder why she’d chosen. This was, as of the moment, a tossup on whether she had made a good or terrible choice. The villains…well, the parents, though very polite, were also very distracted. Normally, distracted guest would be nothing, however, these were distracted _villains_. Nothing good could come from the far off stares that morphed into smiles or random scowls that ended in vicious nods of the head.

          “Lady Maleficent?” The woman had been scowling at nothing when she was called to attention. Maleficent slapped a smile onto her face.

          “Sorry, I was… _thinking_.” Belle nodded brightly, though she wasn’t an idiot. The excuse had been used thrice in the past fifteen minutes. “You were saying?”

          “I was saying” Belle continued. “That Ben wants to start a—”

          “YES!” Everyone’s attention was taken by Cruella, who had jumped out of her seat with joy at something. She smiled sheepishly at the newly watching group, taking note of the guards who had pulled out weapons against her. “This…this is my favorite tea. I’m so happy you have it Queen Belle” She smiled, unconvincingly and sank back down in her seat. Everyone was still staring at her, so she went as far as to take her previously untouched cup and drain it. She made a face and Belle bit her lip as she weighed the pros and cons of telling the woman she’d thrown back what was mostly ash from her own cigarette.

 

* * *

 

Carlos was not safe. None of the villain kids were, but the girls had magic to help them, and Jay was tough enough to beat away his problems. Carlos, besides being an extra target due to his arm still in a sling, had no magic and was about as intimidating as Dude on a good day. Speaking of Dude, they were coming up to the tourney field where the puppy was being held. Ben counted down in his head, Carlos was hilariously punctual in how he ‘noticed’ the field every time they walked that way. Ben’s internal timer went off, and like clockwork…wait…he…Ben counted again, but no, he had counted correctly and there was no word from Carlos.

          “Aren’t you going to visit Dude?” Ben asked as the he and his companion completely bypassed the tourney field without Carlos taking a pit stop to see Dude. Carlos had been going late to class to stop by the tourney field and give his unofficial dog a scratch behind the ears while they weren’t constantly together. Carlos frowned at that.

          “He’s so… _dirty_. I mean, dogs are dirty, that’s a given. But that one is so…he’s filthy. I should wash him…but far away. Dogs tend to be more violent when wet.” Ben raised an eyebrow to his friend.

          “I think you’re thinking of cats Carlos. Dogs _love_ to play in the water.” Carlos blinked owlishly at Ben.

          “Am I?” He thought harder. “No, I’m pretty sure it’s dogs. Besides,” He smiled “I have better things to do then play with a filthy animal.” Ben stopped walking, mouth agape as Carlos continued on to class. What had just happened? He followed the boy, wondering what had happened to his friend, but Carlos seemed completely normal save for Dude. Ben rationalized that the other probably didn’t want to be around his dog after what had happened yesterday. He nodded to himself, accepting the idea even as the teacher blinked in surprise at seeing Carlos waltz in early.

 

* * *

 

          “I was saying” Belle continued, tearing her eyes away from Cruella, who had poured herself another cup of tea and lit another cigarette in the same motion. “That Ben was thinking of a reform program for the adults too.” Maleficent nodded distractedly as her hand went out. Before Belle could ask what she was doing, a raven coasted under her fingertips and she began to pet it. The bird, impertinent as it was, hopped out from under her hand to snatch the tart that had been halfway to her mouth for the past five minutes. That at the very least woke her up for a second. She glared at the bird.

          “Really Diaval?” She asked him. He cawed and she must have understood whatever it was that he said, because she looked back up at Belle, who was staring at the raven with an expression somewhere between bemused and charmed. “He’s usually much better behaved.” Maleficent assured. Diaval cawed again, there was a smirk pulling at Maleficent’s mouth. “Yes, when he feels like it.” Diaval flew away. “He’ll be back” Maleficent assured as she grabbed another tart. Belle looked up at the blip that was the raven.

 

* * *

  

Mal cracked her knuckles as she grabbed her schoolbooks, Evie was still in the shower when she left the room to go to her first class. As she went outside she could have sworn she’d seen Diaval. That made sense, he tended to be around whenever her mother was. She waved in the general direction of where he flew off too, a bit of magic staining her fingertips. It was wonderful to be off the island. She could actually _use_ her magic. She could do anything and everything! She’d already managed to put Ben under a love spell and nearly steal the fairy godmother’s wand….she chickened out at the last second, but the important thing was she _could_. She could do so much! She was giddy with the thought of it. Her magic surrounded her and made her float, but only a few inches off the ground, and only for a few seconds. She wasn’t quite strong enough to do much more than that, but she could practice more. She could practice and practice and practice and then she’d be able to do anything. A giggle bubbled up in her at the thought. She’d be able to break the bubble around the isle, free her friends, take Auradon by storm, and send them all kneeing. She gasped and her eyes turned green for a moment. She didn’t want to hurt people though, that would definitely hurt Ben. She stopped walking to think more clearly. Ben, she realized, was the only thing standing between her and evil. Did she _want_ to be evil? She liked doing magic, yes. Was her magic as malignant as her name? There was no real way to make sure. But evil or not, she wanted to keep it. She couldn’t keep it if she got sent back to the island, and she would only get sent back to the island by not being good. SO it was easy, she just had to stay good! But…what was good? What made someone good? She wasn’t even sure how to be evil, just that it was something that she’d apparently been. And good was…something she was trying to be? But she didn’t want to change herself. She wanted to stay Mal and she couldn’t do that with a cloud of ‘be this or get your magic stripped away’ hanging over her head. She didn’t know how to _be_ good. Was she being good now?

          “Mal” The girl woke up to see Jane standing in front of her. ”Are…Are you coming to class?” Mal smirked once and nodded

          “Sorry, just...thinking” Mal said. She nodded to herself, she had a pretty good idea of what to do now.

 

* * *

 

Maleficent was actually excellent company. Once she stopped being distracted, and actually talked. As a former queen she was able to give a few pointers on how to fix some infrastructure issues. As a mother, she was able to tell Belle what to expect from the end of the teen years. She apparently watched Aurora a lot closer than anyone knew, she almost seemed proud of the girl, though still bitter about the incident. She also seemed to find whatever made her associates so upset hilarious.

“What was it you were thinking of?” Belle asked, and that was the end of their conversation. Maleficent clammed up almost instantly.

“Just trying to find the solution to a problem.” She chuckled and waggled her fingers. “It was almost disappointingly easy. I was hoping there was more of a challenge…then again, I suppose the fact that there isn’t means I did something right.” Her raven swooped down and hopped back under her hand. Belle noted that the woman took time to actually preen his feathers, attending to him carefully now that there was nothing to draw her attention away. Belle had been taking notes the whole brunch. At first, her notebook had been under the table, but it had been out for a while when it seemed she was the only one not already preoccupied with her mind. She had replaced it as Maleficent actually started to talk, but now her attention was taken by Diaval. Belle smiled at the two when the once queen Evelin gasped, then snarled at something.

          “Lady Evelin?” The woman looked up at Belle, then forced a smile. “Is there something wrong?” She asked her guest. The once queen gave a breathless laugh.

          “Nothing to worry about Lady Belle” Belle was resolved to keep the smile on her face as long as Evelin did. “Just an…errant bad thought I had to snuff out.” Evelin took a sip of tea and smiled back at the Queen. Belle raised an eyebrow, with a flick of her wrist, one that went unnoticed by her guest, two guard were dispatched, one to get her husband, another to check on the children.

 

* * *

 

 

It was sunny out. On the isle, Evie was so concerned with looking perfect she’d have never walked out without adequate protection if there was any chance of her getting _freckles_ from the aging monster known simply as the sun. But it was different here. Doug wouldn’t notice or care if she tanned…but if she tanned…she wouldn’t be the fairest. She might not ever be the fairest…but maybe she could be. She could be…but was she really about to waste her life on could? She _liked_ the feeling of the sun on her skin. But was it worth it? She might get tanned…she might get freckles, she might get _wrinkles._ The thought caused a shiver to go up her spine. She pulled off the outfit she’d selected, a sleeveless dress with a stylish belt and some leggings. Doug knocked on her door a few minutes later and she stood at the ready. He blinked at her.

          “Ummm, don’t you think you’ll be too hot in that?” He asked. It was nearing the end of spring, and Evie was standing in front of him in a turtleneck crop top, a high waist skirt, legging, gloves, and a wide brim hat. It was a cute outfit, but a little impractical to say the least. He didn’t even notice that there wasn’t a millimeter of bare skin.

          “I don’t think so” She shrugged. “Even if I do get a little warm, beauty is pain” She smiled even as Doug shivered.

          “You were right” He confessed. Evie raised an eyebrow at that. “Your mother _is_ terrifying.” They began to walk to class. “I mean, it’s not even that she’s mean, because she’s not outright mean or anything but the _way_ she _treats_ you!” Evie nodded a bit…remembering all the sunny days she’d been locked inside or the hours of makeup training to look perfect, the candy she’d been forced to watch others eat, the constant judgement from every angle. Her face formed a scowl, tiny one as too much of one and she’d get wrinkles.

          “My mother treats me well” She snapped to her boyfriend. “She’s made so many sacrifices to make sure I grew up perfectly. She taught me how to sacrifice to. What would I be if I danced in the sun and let my skin get ruined? How would I look if ate something that ruined my teeth? Don’t you like having a beautiful girlfriend? Or should I just pig out hmm? Is that what you want? To look handsome next to an absolute _wreck!_ ” Doug wasn’t sure what he’d done or said to set his girlfriend off. She looked ready to cry, and Evie rarely cried because her need for makeup had been drilled into her head so often. Maybe it was her moon season? In which case he could deal for a week. He gingerly, _gingerly_ put his hand on her shoulder.

          “I’m sorry if that offended you” He said frankly. “I don’t know your home life, it was just an opinion based on what I saw. She might be really different off the isle. I’m sorry” He waited until Evie nodded, accepting his apology before continuing. “And Evie, you could be a mountain troll and still look like a goddess to me.” This was apparently the wrong thing to say.

          “I look like a troll!” Evie’s eyes widened as she caught only the last thing he said. Doug tried valiantly to retract his statement, but it was no use. She ran into the bathroom to reapply her face. He groaned and dutifully waited for her outside the bathroom. After all, it _was_ his fault.

 

* * *

 

 

The once queen was worrying her lip, she was still upset, that much was clear by the slight scowl on her face that was specially designed not to cause too many wrinkles. Belle gave up on her, she was now muttering to herself lightly. Something about colors and eyebrows. Belle wasn’t keeping track, the conversation that Evelin had with herself flew over Belle’s head. She sighed and looked around. Cruella was concentrating on thin air and looked far too happy with herself to put a dent in that conversation. Maleficent was still playing with Diaval, or…arguing might have been a better word. She wasn’t quite screaming yet, but she was speaking harshly to the bird. Jafar was the only one not constant changing expressions. His scowl was constant, though it was punctuated by little shakes of his head.

 

 

* * *

 

 

There was practice before class for all main members of the tourney team. Jay was not in practice, and it was the first time for that. Instead, he was in the locker rooms, stealing everything he could get his hands on. A gold chain, a watch or three, rings of gold, heirlooms, you name it, Jay took it. He wasn’t getting any joy out of the score. He was moving mechanically, stealing without care. When he had cleaned out the tourney room he left, going to his room with the horde. He didn’t feel anything, just a need to get _it_ , whatever it was. None of this was good enough. He needed it. He put the treasures on his bed and sorted them in order of most to least valuable. But something was wrong. He didn’t feel any joy, no sadness, no hurt. He barely thought at all. He just slumped against his wall and waited. When the bell rang he set out again, looking for his big score. He didn’t notice the thin band of gold around his wrist that hadn’t been there before. He just mechanically went along his business, his dreams twisted to wanting evermore. He wanted more things, more money, more power, _more_. And luckily for him, he was practically engineered on how to get more.

 

* * *

 

 

Belle looked up as Jafar’s scowl deepened.

          “Lord Jafar” He looked up at Belle at that, and bowed to her again. He hadn’t sat, preferring to stand in the corner.

          “Queen Belle,” He said. “You honor me too highly. I was a vizier at one point, now I am a simple peasant man. I beseech you, address me as you would any other man of my station.” Belle smiled at that. It was one of the worst displays since she’d first been crowned.

          “You are my guest Jafar, I will address you as I see fit. What’s troubling you?” She asked him. “You haven’t stopped frowning all morning.” He frowned again, but disguised it with a chuckle.

          “I’m very sorry my queen” He said. “I’ve been working on a…puzzle of sorts. I’m having a hard time finding the center to unravel my way to the beginning.” Belle narrowed her eyes at that.

          “Well, I’m sure I can help with whatever puzzle you have, I was always very good at them.” It was a challenge, a very clear one. He took a deep breath before figuring out how to present the problem to her.

          “There is a dog, and it has always been obedient. _Just_ obedient. This is a show dog, and obedience is only part of the equation. The dog has to want it. So, how should I best train it.” Belle thought of that for a bit as her husband arrived.

          “I think the lack of free will breaks spirit” She said at last. “There’s always a fight before you give up, and when you give up—you lose. You lose your hopes, your dreams, your sense of self. Everything.” Jafar paled. That was apparently, not the answer he wanted.


	6. Wolves in wolf clothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please please PLEASE comment, review, tell me that although I'm mangling these characters it's entertaining...PLEASE

The adults were going to see how happy and well-adjusted their children had become off the isle. They would meet Queen Belle and in one short week realize that their evil ways were the only things keeping them unhappy. They would renounce their evil and welcome the friends of their children with open arms and by the end of the year all of the inhabitants of the isle would be completely reformed at seeing what the benefits of being good were. At least, that was the plan that had been written down in Ben’s journal. That plan was not working…at _all._

          “MALIGNACE BÖSE WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS” Mal was trying, and failing, not burst into laughter. Fairy Godmother was red in the face and in her nightgown. The girls’ dorm had been evacuated for fire hazard after a firework dragon had escaped her room with Evie and attacked everything. Fairy Godmother herself had to stop the thing and it was what led to current situation. Mal being yelled at by a red faced woman in a flimsy blue negligee while all the girls in school stood sopping wet on the lawn, drenched by the sprinkler systems both inside and out. And all before ten pm. “ARE YOU LAUGHING?! YOUNG LADY THIS IS A SERIOUS OFFENCE AND—”

          “Yeah I’m laughing” Mal admitted, and she let her laughs through so much she ended up wiping away tears. “You act like a spell never got out of control, you’re so high and mighty and perfect, everything you’ve ever done was just peaches and cream I bet?” Janet Fair blinked down at the girl. She actually couldn’t call to memory a time she’d been challenged. “Well!” Mal asked, or rather ordered. Janet actually took a step back.

        “Of course not. I had to learn just like anyone, hone my craft and—”

        “Then why are bitching at me for practicing!” There had never been a student so willing to call her out like that, especially not one that was supposed to be in trouble. But Mal was giving her a shark smile even as the girls behind her whispered amongst themselves. She turned red for a completely different.

        “You are being disrespectful now! And I’ll have you know that none of my practice spells almost killed anybody!” Mal rolled her eyes at that.

         “Not when all you were doing is making a dress, Evie can do that _without_ magic and have it look better than the rags in the books.” The purple haired teen muttered just loudly enough for Janet herself to hear.

        “THIS” She continued loudly, as if she hadn’t just been interrupted. “This is the number one reason why you’re not allowed to use magic without proper supervision.” Mal rolled her eyes again, but this time Janet caught it. “Or do have something against that rule as well?” Mal nodded

        “Now that you’re asking, yeah! We need supervision to do approved spells! What kinda bull is that! Magic is there so that we can test limits, go farther, find out what we can _do_ —”

        “You will do nothing that endangers the lives of other students!” Janet screamed back at the defiant teen, who had a circle of green sparks around her at the moment. “Otherwise it is expulsion and directly back to the isle!” Mal got angry then.

        “BITE ME” She commanded, sending her magic at the headmistress. Said headmistress, even without her wand, had more than enough energy to catch the spell, change it, and send it back at the girl. Malignance screamed and fought inside her green and blue bubble. Janet stared at the wild girl with horror in her eyes. This was wrong on several levels. This needed immediate action, sending her back to the isle was the only option after a mental break like this and…

        “WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?!” She turned to see Prince Ben standing there in his pajamas and a truly magnificent case of bed head. Lonnie stood behind him, panting heavily. “I JUST GOT WORD THAT THE GIRLS DORMS WENT UP IN FLAMES AND THAT THE FAIRY GODMOTHER WAS SCREAMING AT STUDENTS!” It was then that he saw Mal in her magical cage. “WHY’S SHE IN THERE!” The Fairy Godmother stood tall.

        “Sire, Malignance Böse used her powers in a highly dangerous manner to create a weapon! A firework spitting dragon tha—”

        “You mean like the dragon she conjured for her mother yesterday?” Janet stopped there. That explained a lot. If the girl had already figured out the spell enough to preform it once, a slight change in intention or power would cause something like what had gotten loose. She was probably trying to modify the spell to make it even more entertaining as a finale for her mother’s going away boat. Janet bowed.

        “I didn’t realize the trick was for her mother.” With a wave of her hand she released the girl from her cage. “Malignance” She turned to the girl as Mal straightened up. “This trick was far too dangerous for you to attempt on your own. Therefore, until next Friday you will have an hour of detention after class each day served with me…while we practice your trick in a _safer_ environment. Do you understand me?” Mal nodded, cheeks bright red. “Now, the girls will be excused from class tomorrow to catch up on their sleep. They will be sleeping in the boys dorms while the young men are in class. The girls’ dorms should be fixed by tomorrow night. There was a lot of cheering from the girls after that, but Ben was hyper focused on Mal, who was smirking-eyes green. The dragon in the dorms roared again. Janet looked up. “I thought I took care of that” She marched back into the inferno, ignoring the snickering Mal. Ben tore to his girlfriend.

          “What are you _doing_?” Mal snickered, then waved him off with the hand not glowing.

          “At the moment, concentrating” She giggled.

          “At the _moment_ ” Evie complained, she somehow managed to look breathtaking with her hair in a towel in in a soaking wet teddy “She’s being an absolute nuisance and cutting into my _very_ necessary sixteen hours of sleep.” She pouted, very put out, while Ben counted.

          “That’s eight hours awake. That’s barely enough time for class, let alone food, friends, extra circulars, homework” She cut him off with a scoff.

          “I don’t need any of that.” She explained waved it off. “I sleep to maintain beauty, and once I’m beautiful everything else will just fall into place. Ben openly gaped at that.

          “No…Evie we’ve been over this. Beauty means nothing without personality behind it” Evie turned back to him, tears in her eyes.

          “My face is worth _nothing_ to you?” The tears started to fall and her face contorted into something awful. She noticed it as soon as it happened which led to her trying to stop her crying, trying to smooth out her face, and crying more do to being distraught. It would have been hysterical had it not been mildly heartbreaking. Ben reached over and physically held her hands, stopping her from continuing. She looked at him with something like betrayal in her face. He let go and stepped back when Mal burst into laughter at her friend’s face.

 

* * *

 

 

Ben had a bit of trouble sleeping that night. He tossed and turned as he thought of Mal’s laugh, worse yet-laughter at a friend. He woke up to several night terrors of Evie’s horrified face. At four in the morning he gave up on sleep and dragged himself into the shower to think. The isle kids were acting…different. That could be attributed to their parents being around. Mal had waved her fingers and said evil at a _cobbler_ to make her mother happy, and since he’d seen her pet raven around school she probably had a near constant reminder to keep making her mother happy. That was all, it was as simple as that. That steaming water turned as cold as the knot in the pit of his stomach before he got out from under it. He could only hope the next day could calm him down.

 

* * *

 

Carlos took his usual detour to see Dude before class and Ben almost collapsed with both exhaustion and relief. If Carlos was back to normal the others wouldn’t be far behind. The kids were going to see their parents again tonight. They wouldn’t see them at all Thursday but were given passes out of class on Friday and would be woken early enough to see them off Saturday. That meant the villain adults were only there for three more full days. He could last three more full days. The adults could even say hello to the next batch of kids before they left and they’d be assured that everyone was in the best of hand and their personality issues would clear up when there were no more outside forces.

Carlos whistled at Dude and the dog went to him obediently; but rather than play with him, Carlos picked up the dog by the scruff of his neck and started top shake him. Ben couldn’t believe it. Carlos got to the fourth shake before Ben snapped out of his stupor and grabbed the terrified dog out of the other’s arms.

          “What are you _doing_?!” He demanded. Carlos smiled, but it was off—hallow somehow, it didn’t reach his eyes.

          “I’m just getting the mud off so I can see the color of his fur.” He explained like it was the most natural thing in the world. “It’s getting colder and I could use a shrug. I think he’s just big enough. What’s more, red’s not really the right color for fall. I need more of a brown.” Ben blinked, trying and failing to process. The bell rang and Carlos looked up. “Oh no, we’re going to be late” He said almost mechanically. “I wasted too much time with the shrug” He moved to go to class, but Ben woke up at that. He used his body to block the other boy from leaving. Carlos blinked at him.

          “Carlos” Ben started slowly. “Are you really considering making a shrug out of _Dude_?” Carlos blinked again, then nodded slowly, as if it were a perfectly rational thing to be thinking of.

          “You’re acting strange Ben, and we should be getting to class. I never thought I’d say it, but, we can discuss fashion later.” Carlos attempted to step around Ben again. Again, Ben stopped the shorter teen with his own body.

          “I’m acting strange? You’re genuinely contemplating turning your best friend into…into…an _accessory_! And now you’re telling me I’m, the one acting off?” Carlos chuckled a bit. There was a silver of something in Ben’s heart that wished with all of his soul that this was a very bad joke Carlos was playing.

          “I don’t have friends, I have allies, and not even that many. And that thing in your arms” This was punctuated with a point at Dude, who whimpered into Ben. “Is a vicious animal. The only thing he’s good for is his fur, it’s a decent color. He may be useful yet, I do need a shrug-and there looks like there’s just enough of him for one.” He paused, giving Dude an appraising look. “Maybe mittens if I stretch him out enough” Ben was horrified. He was shocked enough to let Carlos push past him that time. What in the name of goodness itself had happened to his friends. Hopefully someone would have some answers.

 

* * *

 

No one had answers. Carlos was a lot more social, asking about the latest fashion statements before immediately correcting ‘wrong’ opinions on clothes. He also gave unsolicited advice and a few dozen backhanded compliments. Ben shuddered as the first two periods they had together ended and the boys went their separate ways. Jay wasn’t there all day. He assumed the boy had overslept and missed third period, except for the fact that the thief also wasn’t at lunch. The girls were there, but he had a sinking suspicion of where Jay was, especially as most of the girls in the cafeteria didn’t have their jewelry on them. They had left it in their burning dorm. He sent a prayer up to whoever was listening that he was wrong, but he was distracted from praying by a very loud argument.

          “YOU TOOK MY MIRROR!” Evie screeched at poor Doug.

          “You were reapplying your makeup in the middle of chemistry class! You almost mixed two highly unstable compounds because you were more distracted by your face then—”

          “THAT DOESN’T MATTER” Evie continued, face red. “WHAT YOU DID WAS UNFORGIVABLE! I CAN’T BELIVE I WAS EVER STUPID ENOUGH TO” She stopped suddenly to take deep breaths. “You are nowhere near attractive enough for me to date” She said coldly. “And I don’t know what was wrong with me.” Doug blinked at her.

          “Wait, are you breaking up with me” He asked. She scoffed

          “Don’t sound so surprised. You were fun while it lasted, but I’m beautiful. I need someone that understands that. Also, rather than worshiping the feet of the goddess that deigned to give you the time of day, you tried to tell her that her beauty was worthless. I’m done, and moving to greener pastures.” She flipped her hair and clicked away…to Chad’s table. Doug looked equal parts confused and crushed. Mal cackled at his face and Ben had to move a seat away from the monster that was most definitely _not_ his girlfriend.

        “This has to be a spell.” He muttered under his breath to Doug as the other boy collapsed next to him. Doug nodded, but it was unnoticed by Carlos who was nose deep in a fashion magazine.

        “I’ll meet you in your room later” He whispered, eyes never leaving the retreating back of his apparent ex. Evie pushed Audrey out of the way to sit next to Chad. He blinked down at her as she studied him.

        “You’ll do” She commented in a bored tone. She grabbed a silver serving platter and started to place some food on it. Chad looked at her in disbelief, then around at his friends, who were all snickering even as Evie took applesauce and drizzled it in a carful circle around the strawberries and grapes in the middle.

        “Are you crazy?” He asked. “I wouldn’t be soon with you if you the last girl alive. Now beat it” She hmmed lowly and continued to do whatever it was that she was doing. “Did you hear me?!” He demanded after she didn’t automatically leave.

       “Almost good enough” She continued in the same deadpan. “But still a lot of work to go. Don’t worry, you have a patient girlfriend.” Audrey scoffed from her place on the ground and Chad glanced at her in sympathy before addressing Evie again.

        “You aren’t my girlfriend. Even if you broke up with super freak, which is stupid since he’s the only one who’d look twice at you”

        “Patient enough to fix you” She continued as she pulled a vial out from her sleeve and poured the contents on the platter. Whatever it was, it dissolved the food and left the mirror’s surface sparkling. She took a cursory glance in the mirror, adjusting a few key elements as Chad grew even angrier.

        “LISTEN YOU LITTLE DEMON!” He screamed as he rose out of his seat only to be completely ignored by Evie as she fixed her hair a bit. “THE ONLY ONES CRAZY EOUGH TO DATE YOU ARE LITTERLY THE SONS OF THE STUPID! I FOR ONE HAVE HALF A BRAINCELL IN MY HEAD SO I’M GOING TO SAY TO YOU—” Evie, satisfied with her appearance, turned the mirror onto Chad. There was a blinding white light that engulfed the bully. Then Evie placed the platter back down and flipped her hair in plain view of Chad. His eyes widened, his knees shook, his skin prickled. “You’re _beautiful_ ” He said. It sounded like the first sight of a blind man, the first sip of water after running through a desert. She nodded.

        “I know” She said calmly. Everyone else at the table scrambled away from the enchantress, while Chad fell to his knees next to her. Evie’s hand found its way to his hair, and she absentmindedly pet his hair.

        “WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BOYFRIEND?!” Audrey demanded. Evie raised one delicately plucked eyebrow.

        “ _Your_ boyfriend?” She asked. “Chad dear” She turned her head just slightly to look down at him. “Who are you dating?”

        “You my beauty” Chad said in an almost robotic tone. “There are none that match your beauty, and so none worth my time” Evie smiled at Audrey, if her expression could be called a smile. It was the barest tilt of her lips in direction that could be mistaken for up.

         “I apologize, if you’re looking for your boyfriend, I suggest you go somewhere else. It’s only me and my boyfriend here.” She let her hand fall from Chad’s hair to the front of his face. He took the appendage, cradling it, kissing it, whispering her praises into it. Audrey took a few gasping breaths before fleeing in tears. “Poor thing” Evie commented absentmindedly. “Crying will give her so many wrinkles.” Ben left lunch early, this couldn’t be happening.   


* * *

 

Ben paced his room, waiting anxiously for Doug to arrive. There was a series of short sharp knocks on his door, but when he opened the door it was not Doug, but rather a very irate Jane.

          “THEY’VE GONE INSANE!” She declared as she bared into his room. “YOU HAVE TO STOP THEM DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT JAY PULLED!!!!” Ben winced.

          “It can’t be worse than what Evie did in the Cafeteria…actually, no scratch that, Mal was worse.” He groaned once. Jane turned to him confused, then a bark in the room drew her attention to it.

          “What’s Dude doing in here?” She asked.

          “I’m hiding him from Carlos” He explained. Jane blinked at him.

          “Hiding from _Carlos?_ ” She asked.

          “You don’t want to know” He assured her. “Trust me, you don’t. Dude’s just going to stay away from Carlos until Cruella leaves. She did something to him.

          “Whatever she did it was done to Jay too” Jane revealed. Ben sighed.

         “Let me guess, he spent all day robbing the scorched girl’s dorms.” He growled into his hands. “Whatever he took is probably in Jafar’s hands by now. I’ll just replace it.” He decided.

         “How’d you know?” Jane asked.

        “He hasn’t been seen all day.” Ben confessed. “And I figured that if the other three were wrong he was too.” There was another knock on the door. “ _Please_ be Doug and not more bad news.” He prayed. It was Doug, but by the look on his face it wasn’t anything good.

        “I went to the library and” He stopped as he noticed Jane in the room, he nodded to her. “Hi Jane” He said. She nodded in greeting to him. “As I was saying, I went to the library and got a few anthologies on known personality altering spells. There’s more than I thought.” He flushed. Ben smiled.

        “But there are three of us!” He proclaimed. “This is good, first piece of good news all day. If we find the spell we can reverse it and boom, crisis averted!” Doug raised an eyebrow, but slammed down the fifteen thick texts he’d managed to bring with him. Ben almost cried. “Let’s get started” He grumbled moodily.

 

* * *

 

 

The sun had barely set when the kids had started. They’d forgone starting their homework as soon as class was done and even dinner hoping to find a counter spell. The second period bell rang before they finished.

          “Fifteen anthologies” Jane groaned “And not a single spell that causes those symptoms” She slammed shut the book she’d finished.

          “Ben” Doug started to the boy currently pacing his room “we have to bite the bullet and tell your parent’s something’s up”

          “NO!” Ben spun around and covered the other boy’s mouth, as if the walls themselves could hear and tattle on him. “If they know that something went wrong they’re going to send everyone back to the island and that—”

          “That means Mal would go too and you don’t want that because you know it’s not really her” Jane finished for him. “That’s understandable but Ben, we have to do _something._ Just let me get my mother to look them over.” He bit the inside of his cheek as he thought about that plan.

          “Jane why can’t you do it?” He asked. She blinked in surprise.

          “Me? I don’t…Ben, if they are under a spell than it’s going to take someone way stronger than me to break it.” Ben stared at her, still earnest. She sighed. “I can _try._ ” He whooped, even as she barked at him not to expect any miracles from her.

          “Ben” Doug asked. He turned to the other boy, still with a joyful grin on his face. “What if it’s not a spell?” Doug seemed almost dead on the inside with the thought. “What if this is just… _them_?”

          “It’s not” Ben assured his friend. He thought of the kids he thought of his friends. Jay hadn’t been seen by anyone but Ben since Monday morning, skipping class and tourney to steel. But Ben had seen him Tuesday afternoon on his way to his room. Jay looked wrong. His hair was matted and greasy, he didn’t look like he’d slept at all, and he was shaking. Ben had only seen the other boy for a moment before Jay noticed him and vanished, but that wasn’t his friend.


	7. I wish for Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kinda a Jay Centric chapter since he's been gone for a while, so this is what he's been doing. There should only be about two or three more chapters of this and then it's onto the next part. There were also three very important blink and you miss them pieces of info in this chap. Can you spot them? As always, I'd really appreciate if you commented!

Jay wasn’t having the best week. It was a very productive week, but not the best. His father still wasn’t proud, wouldn’t be proud until he found the next big thing. The only problem was that he wouldn’t know what that thing was until he got it. The teen growled, his skin itched and burned and that’s why he was half out of a rather large high window, to try and get some air. Not to mention, none of his spells were going off for any opportunities. He’d noticed the chains growing on his wrist, almost an inch thick now. It was his magic, he usually didn’t use it, but he had a handful of powers, he had to use them just yesterday afternoon to get away from Ben before dinner. There was a part of him struggling to understand why he was even using his powers, he was always so good at getting things without them. Good, but not quite as efficient. The teen’s head reeled from hunger and he almost dropped off of his perch on the windowsill. He cursed under his breath and muttered a charm so that he could ignore his hunger for a bit longer.

          “You know, it might be better to just eat” Jay leapt farther onto the part of the sill on the outside of the building as Ben leaned over it from the inside. “Jane found a hint of something over your heads. So you probably don’t care, or if you’re anything like Carlos you think I’m being weird instead of noticing you’re the one that’s changed. I know you guys aren’t you right now, but you’re scaring me. If your parent’s are controlling you and they can hear me right now…it’s probably a bad idea to let you go so long without food is all.” Ben was firmly not looking at him and Jay needed eye contact to do a ‘notice me not’ spell.

          “How did you find me?” He asked the prince. That same small part of him freaking out about the chains noted that his voice had changed, it had a slight echo to it. The reverberation of a true genie. Ben either didn’t notice it or chose not to comment on it.

          “I figured it out. We were trying to see what spell was on you guys and I came across what I think you’ve been using to steel. It’s a memory alteration thing. People can’t remember you at a spot and if I hadn’t seen you yesterday I might have forgotten you existed. It’s really effective…it’s just meant for humans, on top of that—even if I’m not allowed to look at you I can still smell you. You’re sharp, like cinnamon, but not quite there.” Jay peaked back into the building behind Ben. The rest of the student body was still affected by his spell. The half beast was the only one free of it.

          “What makes you think we’re under a spell?” He asked, trying to trick Ben into looking at him. It didn’t work. Ben scoffed, but remained looking firmly away from the direction of the voice.

          “So _you_ , Jay Jādū who notices everything doesn’t notice or care about the fact that there are genie chains crawling up your arm?” It was Jay’s turn to scoff.

          “I notice and yes, I care. This isn’t a spell though” Ben grit his teeth together, or at least he did until Jay continued. “A spell you can throw off if you try hard enough. A spell is cast _on_ someone. This is a control thing, it’s useless trying to talk to puppets. You have to talk to the puppeteer.” Ben smiled and nodded.

          “If you’re being controlled how are you helping me?” He asked. Jay smirked.

          “It doesn’t go against my orders. I’m supposed to find the next big thing and there’s nothing to steel right now. That means I’m at least partially…is free the word I’m thinking of?” He paused to think about that. “There’s two sets of thoughts running around in my head. One of which is, I think the me you’re used to. He’s actually really scared, but he doesn’t want anyone to know that. The other me, the one that’s talking to you right now doesn’t care about anything but finding the thing that’ll put me and dad on top.” He shrugged lightly, and because neither boy was looking at each other; Jay didn’t see the look of pain that crossed Ben’s face. Ben didn’t see the flash of very real fear in Jay’s dark eyes. Ben bit his lip and nodded.

          “Talk to the puppeteers…actually, I think I know how to do that.” Jay gave a quiet hum to indicate that he was still paying attention. “Did you all know you guys each have a sponsor?” Ben asked. “You needed someone that spoke on your behalf yes, but also someone to pay for your room and board here. I know your sponsors wanted to talk to your parents. Do you think that’s a good idea? Or is there something for you to steel?” Jay’s eyes flicked out over the school from his vantage point, checking his spells. His wrists started to burn again and he scratched at them absentmindedly. The part of him that was worried noted that the area around the chains was bloody again and that he should probably stop scratching at them. Ben very valiantly did not turn to look at the sorcerer even when he felt a drop of blood hit his cheek.  

          “That sound’s fine.” Jay muttered. Ben nodded once and straightened back up. He turned down the hallway and didn’t look back at the thief. When Jay reentered the window, he saw a plate of still warm food. Ben was more observant than he seemed. The plate was full of Jay’s favorites. The teen picked up the plate and ate like he hadn’t since dinner the day before. He managed to get halfway through the salami and cheese on rye before an alarm buzzed in his head. The part of him that was still him protested, and actually made a decent argument for finishing his food since he wouldn’t eat again until tomorrow night. That part of his brain was firmly ignored as he slid along the walls to his opportunity. Every person that noticed him was dispatched with a simple spell, and with every spell his wrist burned a bit more. The part of him that noticed the bleeding hoped that no one followed the trail to him. That was a cause another spell and at two inches, a lamp appeared.

 

* * *

 

Ben almost collapsed in his desk chair. His sense of smell shouldn’t have been able to detect Jay. It only worked because he had skipped class the day before, and maybe from keeping secrets from his parents. He was skipping class again and had the irrational fear he’d sprout claws halfway thorough penning the letters. He picked up the designs Cruella had worked on and included them in his letter to Carlos’ sponsor. These weren’t normal letters like the ones he sent out every two weeks to let their sponsors know how they were doing, this way a cry for _help_. And besides that, three of the four sponsors had wanted very much to meet the parents. One needed to give an apology while another needed help. He didn’t know why Queen White wanted to see the woman that had tried to kill her. He was doing some _very_ bad things, like sneaking into Fairy Godmother’s study and using her wand to send the letters instantaneously. He replaced the wand and returned to his room to shake on his bed for the return letters. Two letters simply appeared on his desk table, while for the third-his mirror glowed. He was terrified, there was a slight chance Evie or her mother had intercepted his mail, but he went anyway. He was almost ridiculously relived to see the doll like face of Queen White. He bowed to her and she waved it off.

          “Prince Ben. It’s nice to see you.” He gave a strained smile.

          “If you have good news for me, then it’s wonderful to see you as well Queen White.” She waved again.

          “Lady Snow, I mean, if you have to use titles at all. I’m afraid this isn’t a social call prince Ben. I’m very cross with you. You promised that you’d tell me the instant my mother arrived or that my sister was ready to meet me and I just get ‘not yet’ until this” She waved the letter “This is possibly the _worst_ news you could have delivered. When I met them again I didn’t want it to be under these circumstances.” He nodded

          “I’m so sorry. I wouldn’t have wished these circumstances on anyone. But, I really do need your help. I need to appeal to Ex-Queen Evelin and, well—you know her best out of anyone” Snow worried her lip.

          “Look, I’m not sure how helpful I’d be. I adore my mother, but…well…” She was doing that thing where she stuttered not to find an idea, but rather just to stutter. Ben changed tactics, and felt his teeth get a bit sharper.

          “You said something happened to her. That’s why you asked for Evie to come here. Because something happened to your mother and you wanted to keep the same thing from happening to Evie. Well I don’t know what happened to your mother, but I can guarantee you something’s happening to Evie. She hexed a boy to be her…she says boyfriend but it’s more like, devoted manservant.” It hit the right nail. Snow’s eyes widened.

          “Huntsman” She whispered. She snapped out whatever flashback had been prompted and addressed the still worried Ben. “I’ll be there by Friday. Don’t let anyone be more beautiful than her. If you must call for a ban on makeup and Ben” He held his breath as he looked up at her on his wall. While still perfectly lovely, her face was the picture of fear and worry, from her grit teeth to the sharp look in her eyes. “If there is anything, any hair out of place, food stuck in her teeth, blemish, _anything_ do not dare let her look at a mirror until it’s fixed.” Queen White took one last deep breath and vanished then, the surface of the mirror growing dull as the magic left it. He took a deep breath and went to the other two letters. The first one, from Mal’s sponsor was more terrified than anything. Apparently though talking to Maleficent was necessary, it was not looked forward to. Opening the letter for Jay’s sponsor ended up with a very irate royal and promise to arrive by Saturday at the latest. Ben only hoped that the adults were being good enough for him to be able to convince his parents to let them leave Saturday night rather than the morning. Ben didn’t know, he couldn’t have known that he didn’t kneed until Saturday. If he had known what Maleficent was planning, he might not have drunk his sleepy time tea and curled up to go on the defensive. Had he known what Maleficent was planning, he’d have sprinted to the nearest decorative amour piece and armed himself for war.

 

* * *

 

 

Jay snuck out of the school minutes before three am. He crept into the palace and went on a near beeline to the wing that had been set aside for the villains. He’d been informed of the two minutes when the guard changed, and it was then that he used a lock pick on the door that led to their hallway. He slipped into Maleficent’s room, where the door had been left open a crack and bowed before Maleficent Empress of all evil with his score. She smiled and patted at his beanie with one hand as the other went for the key he’d retrieved for her.

          “Jafar, when we own Auradon you and your boy get your _pick_ of where to live.” She grinned. Jafar took the compliment with a nod down to his boy. Jay technically wasn’t supposed to see the adults until what was technically tomorrow, but a few simple spells and a pair of bleeding wrists later and he was inside and at their private rooms. Maleficent almost pressed the key to her cuffs, but she stopped at the last second. “Not that I doubt his abilities, but in case this isn’t the right key” She trailed off. Jafar and Evelin looked at each other.

        “If it is the right Key” Jafar started, “I don’t’ feel like being dragged back into my lamp. Not to mention, I left it back on the isle so there is the whole, missing person thing to consider.” Evelin rolled her eyes to him and presented her wrist to the key. The key was pressed to her cuffs and they dissolved in a shower of golden sparks. Maleficent smirked.

        “Congratulations Jay. This is your biggest score yet.” She giggled and reapeated the process on herself. There was a green glow that surrounded her for just a moment before she shook it off. With a simple spell a useless replica of her chains reappeared on her wrists. Queen Evelin also got the replicas so to clear away any suspicion on them. “Return this” She ordered Jay, who bowed again and turned to leave with his task. “After that, I think you’ve earned a rest” The Empress smirked at the boy’s retreating back.

          “So” Cruella started. “I believe that means we’re back in business” Maleficent cackled as loudly as she dared.

          “All of Auradon.” She swore with a green glow to her.

 

 

* * *

 

Jay, made a pit stop at Ben’s room. He wrote a simple message in blood on his gold scarf and tied to Ben’s doorframe, then continued to the rest he’d earned. It was the only warning that could be given by the boy screaming in his own mind.


	8. A planning brunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments are always appreciated and I hope you like it! There's only one or two chapters left of this and then is the next part.

King Adam was having an extended nightmare. First, his son begged for the birthday present of bringing home a few of the villain children. The second part of this catastrophe was that his son was _dating_ the undeniable worst of the bunch-Malignance Böse, daughter of Maleficent. He wasn’t sure what was worse, that his wife had met the parents or that she had vouched for them being suspicious enough so that he also had to meet them. He was desperately hoping horrible enough happened that Ben would break up with his girlfriend and send her and her friends back to the isle. It had nothing to do with the list he’d been forced to approve lest he fall under the influence of his son’s pouting. It couldn’t, he had not been looking forward to meeting the villain parents in the first place. He didn’t need the extra incentive. He didn’t want them in his kingdom, he hadn’t even wanted the _kids_ in his kingdom and worse, his mind kept going to the name on the list. He was desperately hoping he was wrong, but Belle’s reaction was the same. Even if he’d just been going crazy, she recognized that last name as well. GenevièveBientôt had the same last name as Gaston Bientôt. He really, _really_ didn’t want to meet his spawn. But the villain children had done nothing, so the villains were in his kingdom, and the villains had done nothing, so everything was all ship shape for the next group of children, which included… _her_. All in all, it was a disgustingly bad year for Adam and as much as he loved his son, he couldn’t help but wish that the boy was still four and his birthday wishes were something as simple as another pony.

          “Sire?” Adam roused himself from his stupor long enough to look behind him at where Cogsworth stood. “Sire, glaring at the mirror won’t cause them to do anything wrong.” The former clock sighed. Adam growled at the mirror one last time before straightening out his cravat.

          “They’re planning something. I know it, and the second they put their plan into motion I’ll have them all shipped back where they belong” Cogsworth rolled his eyes, but bowed anyway.

          “Very good sire” Adam glared at the once clock out of the corner of his eye and sure enough, there was a small smile playing at his features. The mad had calmed down considerably over the years, though if it was Belle’s influence or the influence of his husband was anyone’s guess.

          “I know what you’re thinking” He snarled at his servant. “I may be paranoid, but just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.” Cogsworth allowed himself a small laugh at that, before he caught himself and bowed again.

          “As you say sir” He smirked. “Though your guests are waiting for you” Adam groaned again, but fixed his hair and counted to one hundred before going to meet his wife, Janet Fair and most frightening, the Villains. If something happened in the next… _hour_ he’d have enough time to issue a recall order on the transfer papers he’d had to send. This was going to be an unmitigated _disaster._ He felt it in his bones.

 

* * *

 

After two hours, the only disaster was that Maleficent had to be the _single_ most charming woman he’d ever met. She was the only one actively engaging with him at the moment.

          “Your son really is a sweetheart. I just never though _my_ Mal would go for him. Not that he’s not wonderful, anyone that defends poor Carlos is golden in my book, it’s just that he…he is so… _different_. He’s a good different though. Heaven knows I’ve heard less about him then Fabien. _He_ was a nightmare. ” Adam nodded.

          “I’ll be perfectly honest, Mal isn’t exactly his normal either. I’ve…I only met her once, and I…”

          “You made an excuse and ran away didn’t you?” Adam flushed, but nodded. “According to Ben you’re” Maleficent rose an eyebrow to stare at him and he suddenly felt self-conscious. He know understood why his son had come to him shaking about how she was a wonderful person when she wasn’t terrifying. He amended the end of his statement. “You’re a wonderful baker” That was the right thing to say apparently. The woman beamed and preened under the simple compliment.

          “I can make you something if you want. I mean, once my revenge curse was set I really had nothing to do so I just practiced and you know what they say about practice and perfection. If he thought the cobbler was good I’ll have to make him my chocolate soufflé some time. It was so hard to get the ingredients on the isle, but when I did, I saved it for Mal’s birthday. She was so surprised! Almost as surprised as that idiot Stephan when I crashed the party. He deserved it though. And I head he’s dead now.” She sighed. “Well, if you can’t torture your enemies forever, they say the next best thing is to beat them at their own game. So either Mal’s going to be happier and prettier than the one her age or I’ll just get revenge on Aurora. I was going to let her go too.” She stopped to think, then shrugged. “Well so far, Mal’s happy so-there’s that” Adam smiled at the joy on her face from just the thought of her daughter happy. While parts of her story were… _troubling_ to say the least the rest of it was almost heartwarming. “And I’ve just _got_ to make a baked Alaska. That’s the only guarantee to cheer her up when she’s down and she’s going to so upset by the end of the week.”

          “If you like,” Adam interrupted her pout before she delved into dangerous waters again “it can be arranged for you to go to the kitchens and make something for your daughter before you leave” Maleficent’s face did something odd at that, like she wanted to be sad, then laughed and covered it up with a sad expression. Adam noted it in the back of his mind, but didn’t mention it.

          “That would be nice” She said with a tight smile. “It could even be tomorrow.” Adam nodded at that and she chuckled with an odd sense of finality. “Tomorrow evening you simply _must_ have at least a bite of my soufflé.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, but her crow had seemed to sense her distress and came soaring down from somewhere to rest under her fingers. With his conversation over, he turned to see how everyone else was faring. Cruella was grilling poor Belle on Auradonian fashion, Jafar was muttering to himself, and Ex Queen Evelin was having a very thorough…he wasn’t sure to label it a passionate discussion or a muted argument, but it was about beauty and it was with Janet. Even talking to Maleficent, he wasn’t quite sure how he’d missed that.

          “You can’t possibly think that you can be beautiful if your insides are hideous! Sooner or later it breaks through to the surface!” Janet protested. Evelin scoffed at her.

          “Well, I’m the fai…second fairest and Evie’s the third…well, she will be, she’s on her way to it. And if she’s not, her daughter will be. She’s going to be a beautiful princess, I’ve made sure of it.” Janet rose an eyebrow.

          “Made sure of it?”

          “Well I…I spoke to her about her boyfriend and”

          “And you gave her a spell. She hexed another student!” Janet hurriedly slapped her hands over her mouth, but it was too late. Both Adam and Belle turned their heads over to her at that.

         “A student was _hexed_ ” Belle asked, her hand already out to calm her husband before he did anything rash. “Have the other children been acting out as well? How long has this been going on? Why didn’t you tell us?”

          “The isle kids have been off this…well, since it was announced that their parents were coming.” Janet explained. “You weren’t informed because Prince Ben was worried you would react strongly.” Belle thought on that, and on the reaction that had just happened.

          “One or two behavioral problems isn’t an issue but why didn’t you tell us another student had been hexed?” As Janet opened her mouth again Evelin scoffed.

          “It was not a hex. Evie can’t even _do_ hexes. There weren’t any in my books so unless she took one from somewhere else it was a charm at best.” As the attention turned to Evelin, Jafar looked up and at the Fairy Godmother. She was also distracted. He chanced a glance to Maleficent, who subtlety nodded while still petting Diaval.

          “A charm? She is controlling another student by puppet strings.” Evelin flushed.

          “An enchantment then. Or! Or, ororor, he’s stunned by her beauty and just acting odd.” That got her three withering looks.

          “And this is why I said neither villain nor villain children should come here! Hexing other students!” Belle shushed her husband.

          “Has there anything _else_ going on that Ben ordered you to hide form us?” She asked. Janet blushed a bit.

          “Malignance burnt down the girl’s dormitory” There were twin gasps and as Adam lunged Janet scrambled to add the ending. “BY ACCIDENT” She yelled “I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. She was practicing a trick for her mother and it got out of hand and she burnt down the girl’s dorm.”

          “See” Belle said calmly. “It was an _accident_ ” She patted her husband twice on the arm. “You’ve got to keep your anger in check. One was a misunderstood suggestion and the other was an accident.”

          “And then Jay stole almost everything that hadn’t been scorched.” Janet admitted. “But I’m sure that’s a misunderstanding as well.” She said quickly “I agree with Ben that Jay wouldn’t do anything like that!” Adam stared at her.

          “What part of villain don’t you understand?” He growled out.

          “Now that’s not really fair” Jafar said from where he’d moved behind the three. “She’s right, my son’s not quite mean enough to take from people in pain…at least, not without being controlled.” The royals and fairy looked at the ex vizier worriedly, noting how close he’d been, and more so, that they hadn’t noticed him _get_ that close. “So you got us, we’ve been controlling our kids. Bad us I suppose.” Janet reached for her wand, only to realize that it was not in her pocket where it should have been. “Are you looking for this?” Jafar asked even as he produced said wand to twirl idly in his hand. “If you’re walking around with an object of power like this, I don’t suggest you get involved in petty arguments about the difference between a hex and a charm.”

          “Give that back” Janet ordered. He rose an eyebrow and made a humming noise under his breath.

          “I don’t think I will. If you haven’t realized, we have all the magic now.” She scoffed, even as Adam recognized the severity of the situation and moved to protect the women with his own body.

          “My wand is not all the magic in Auradon” Janet pointed out.

          “No” Maleficent said as she rose from her seat, Diaval flying out from under her fingertips and into the sky. “However, it was the only singular magic force here that had a chance of standing against my own.” With a flare of too familiar green energy, her black sundress changed into her familiar cloak and the sham cuffs vanished.

 

* * *

 

 

 

_Strings can’t be cut after seven pm_

_Two pm bird for three pm ruin._

_Stop him for five pm ruin._

_If you know what’s good for you_

**_RUN_ **

_Good Luck Ben_

_JJ_

Marcas re read the scarf Ben had given him early that morning. He had his arrow pre-notched and his ruby hair tied out of his face. He wasn’t supposed to kill the stupid thing according to Ben’s orders, but his mother had taught him how to shoot he was more than confident he could get a giant black raven out of the sky. It was one thirty now, and even if it was a rescue mission to make sure they weren’t all killed or worse, enslaved under Maleficent’s rule, he was so happy to be out of history. It had to be the most boring. His eyes widened as he noticed it, a black blot on the blue sky. His arrow sailed, nailing the thing through the wing. He scrambled out of his tree and over to where it had fallen, burlap sack in hand. If it was as intelligent as Ben had heard from Mal, it was going to be one _angry_ bird.

 

* * *

 

          “Thank you so much for making it on such short notice” Ben whispered to his guests. It had been hard. He’d needed to beg Mal to convince Evie to teach him that little talking through a mirror trick, then he’d been able to get most of his guests over a lot faster than he once thought and had managed to lock them all in his room. Even with all of his finagling and getting everyone he needed excused, it was still four before he’d managed to get everything done. He started to explain everything to them as quickly as he could. According to Jay, they had an hour, which made sense. In an hour, the adults would come to see their children. They would see that the school wasn’t under control due to a missed signal, they’d be angry. There was only one chance to get this plan done, and it had to be before seven for whatever reason.


	9. Time Shenanigans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always reviews are appreciated. There should only be one or two chaps until this segment is finished at then unto the next part. I am honestly a lil terrified of the next part, but it'll be cool. Would you believe I still haven't gotten around to watching this movie?

The villains had style, no one could doubt that. Maleficent had turned into a dragon and flew the other villains over on her back. King Adam, Queen Belle, and Fairy Godmother dangled from her claws in chains. When they arrived at the school at five in the afternoon, their children should have had all of their peers under lock and key. The children should have been waiting to meet them. Rather than everyone subjugated and waiting for them in terror, there was nothing. Maleficent dropped her charges to turn into a human form again.

          “Where are our children” Evelin asked. Maleficent shook her head.

          “They should be here by now.” The ex empress was worried, though she tried to keep it out of her voice. “The last thoughts transmitted to Mal were that she could take the school down the second she got word I was free. I don’t know _what’s_ going on.” Jafar walked around the fairy warily. He’d never admit his worry, but his eyes darted around looking for his son.

          “Something’s not right” Cruella scowled. She reapplied the face lotion that controlled Carlos and sent him a panicked thought of his mother hurt. He should have come running to her. “Let’s go” As she was physically the strongest, she was the one leading around the once beast. Belle shared a look with her husband. This was wrong, it was helpful and undoubtedly Ben’s doing, but they couldn’t help but wonder how their son had done it. Jafar started to lead in Belle as Maleficent herself took Janet. Ex Queen Evelin started looking around for a mirror to use to locate the children.

 

**_ Eight am: _ **

 

Ben stepped out of his room and took a deep breath.

          “Another day, another attempt not to fully beast out with the effort it takes not to kill the puppets that used to be my friends.” He muttered under breath. As he exited his room his hand landed on something that he hadn’t remembered putting on his door. It was fabric, in fact-it was familiar fabric. It looked like Jay’s scarf. He untied the object from his door, wondering idly why it was there in the first place, when he saw the blood on it. The thoughts ran through his head, was Jay hurt? Was he dying? Why had he gone to Ben and not the nurse? Had he killed someone? Was he warning Ben that the spell had gone out of control? It was then Ben noticed the words. He paced in his room after he read them, all thoughts of class were gone. His mind worked a mile a minute. Two pm that bird he saw with Maleficent would be stopping by. Stopping it was a priority of course. The few extra hours were good to know about, but the villain parents weren’t due to pick up their kids until five. They would have a small tour and then have dinner. That meant that the kids were going to do something when they saw that bird, something that their parents would finish. It had to be something concerning the students. In that case, Jay was warning him to run because there was still a art that cared. But what kind of soon to be leader would he be if Ben himself ran and left the rest of the school to their destruction? The seven pm deadline was mildly terrifying, but Ben chose to just hope it meant that something bad would happen at seven and not that the spell was permanent then. He sent a few guards for some special students and worried his lip until the door was knocked again. He opened it to see three of his friends behind the door. He pulled them inside with a quick thank you to his guards.

          “You will be explaining why we were pulled from class yes?” Ben looked up at Kieran. The dark skinned boy had his arms crossed and was dripping wet. He knew that the Atlantian would never forgive him for pulling him out of class, but he had bigger issues than one missed swimming lesson.

          “Kieran, look I need a favor. I know you’ve been exploring around the entire school. Did you ever find any passages out?” One white eyebrow rose to join fluffy hair of the same color at the request. “ _PLEASE_ ” Ben was trying, and failing, not to panic.

          “Och Ben” Marcas asked the other prince. “Ww-hat’d be the mat-ter?” Ben, weather he knew it or not, was shaking slightly. He was also much paler than he was supposed to be.

          “Here” The sixteen year old threw the scarf to the redhead. “Get your bow, find the highest tree you can, and for the love of all that’s good—STOP THAT BIRD.” Marcas caught the scarf, but didn’t automatically go anywhere. Jane helped Ben into a chair and even got some water for him.

          “Ah don’t under-stahnd” Marcas stated as he read the bloodstained scarf. Kieran looked over the Scott’s shoulder to read it as well. His blue eyes widened.

          “Forgive me if I am wrong on this, but in situations where the word ruin is used, is it not the best idea to get the adults?” Ben gave a breathless laugh at that.

          “I had a plan” He said, his voice much calmer than he looked. “I _had_ a plan. Then that stupid deadline came this morning. I thought I had at least until tomorrow.” He dissolved into muttering to himself.

          “Ben?” Jane asked uncertainly as the prince dissolved into incomprehensible gibberish. The fairy tried twice more before taking the forgotten glass of water in his hand and dumping it on his head. That seemed to wake him up. He looked at her like it was his first time seeing her.

          “Jane…JANE! I need you to recreate the spell your mom put on the isle” She stumbled away at that.

          “Are you _crazy_?” She gasped. “I can’t recreate that. Let alone make it as big as the school!”    

          “Prince Benjamin, what is going on?” Kieran asked at once. “Why is this not being brought up to the fairy godmother?” Ben trough up his hands

          “It’s the Isle kids!” He explained. “They’re under a spell, or mind control more like. It can’t be thrown off or broken he said! If I tell an adult they’ll send the grown villains back and the kids will still be under their control. Or worse, they’ll send the kids back and I’ll never be able to convince my parents to give anyone a second chance. It’ll be an island full of people who made a mistake, or just wanted something and didn’t go about it the right way, or had the crime _of being born and I CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN”_ Ben hadn’t noticed that he had started to cry. Marcas put a hand on his shoulder and Ben looked up at the younger prince.

          “Ah’ll chach the byrd. No doubt aboat it” Ben smiled at his friend.

          “Can you catch it without killing it?” He asked. “We’re going to have a whole other slew of problems if he’s dead.” Marcas scoffed.

          “It’s justa wee byrd. Ow hard canna be?” Ben frowned

          “It’s a magic bird with the brain of a man and Maleficent’s closest friend and companion” Marcas winced.

          “O.K.” He admitted. “That’d be a wee bit harder then ah thought” Ben managed to smile at his friend at that. “Ah’ll just hafta take it by sur-prise.” Ben nodded and Marcas left the room, leaving him with the two others.

          “Kieran” Ben said again, staring up at the Atlantian. “If you are _anything_ like your father, you know at least ten ways out of this school and if you’re anything like your grandfather you know at least eight places to store a huge amount of people.” Kieran bit his lip.

          “Perhaps there are a few places I know of.” The teen relented. Ben nodded.

          “I need everyone out of the school by three. Start with people that don’t have any classes with the Isle kids.” Kieran nodded and ran off to start his mission, which actually started in the library for class rosters. With the two other boys gone, Ben’s eyes focused on Jane.

          “Jane”

          “Ben, I’m going to stop you there. It’s impossible. Completely impossible.”

          “What about a room?” He asked the girl. “Could you spell a room?” She bit her lip.

          “Maybe” She relented. “But if there’s magic already in the room I can’t stop it. The bubble is just going to make sure no _new_ magic can be cast, it won’t free them.” Ben shook his head

          “I just need them to not do magic and not get out.” Jane thought for a minute.

          “Maybe?” She said. “I don’t know how well it’s going to hold though.”

          “Please try” He begged her. She bit her lip, then nodded.

          “Which room?” She asked. Ben’s smile gave the sun a run for its money.

 

**_ Five thirty Pm: _ **

**__ **

          “I don’t like this” Evelin growled. Their children couldn’t be found. Actually, no one could be found. The school was a ghost town and even in the bathrooms the mirrors had been smashed or in some cases taken out of the wall. “They knew we were coming!” The woman threw up her hands in exasperation.

          “That’s impossible” Maleficent growled. “How could anyone have known?” Jafar scoffed

          “Well, _someone_ had their child overly confident and thinking they could do anything!” She turned on him.

          “You think this is _my_ fault!? Why would Mal do this? How would she do this?”

          “Evelin” Cruella called. The once Queen turned to the designer, who was pointing at a mirror that was still in the wall.

          “Oh thank goodness, they missed one!” She approached the mirror and cast a simple information spell on it. The enchanted glass sparkled once. “Mirror mirror on the Wall” She intoned. “Where are the children who would make this school fall?” The mirror became foggy, then murky, than completely black. “Wha? That’s impossible.” Cracks appeared on the mirror surface before it broke completely.

          “HOW ARE THEY DOING THIS” Maleficent screeched.

 

**_ Three Pm: _ **

 

          “Alright, we have Doug, George, Delia, Suzette, Belinda, Harrold and…” Ben looked around, then groaned. “Someone wake up Sam”

          “I’ll go” Suzette volunteered, than sneezed into her arm again. Delia was quick to give her cousin a tissue. It was George that stomped over and flipped Sam _off_ of the bed. The other boy hit the ground hard.

          “I’M AWAKE!” He screamed, before yawning again. “I’m completely awake” He started to curl into a ball on the floor, but Ben took it upon himself to grab the boy and place him on his feet.

          “Sam, we need you awake. This is important.” Sam blinked blearily as a hammer was thrust into his hands. “Smash all of the mirrors in the boys’ bathrooms on the second level” Sam yawned, but nodded along with his order. “George, you go with him” George nodded and went out the room after his cousin. “The rest of you have your assignments” The four of the other children nodded, then left with their hammers.

          “Ben, I’ve done some calculations. Even split up as we are, there’s no way we’re gonna hit all the mirrors by five. There’s no one handling the third corridor or the—”

          “Shush shu—I’ve got it” Ben stopped his friend, still thinking. Snow White had been contacted via Evie’s communication spell and was currently teaching Fred and Fiona—the children of Flora and Fauna, how to cast a blackout spell on any missed mirrors and how to create shimmers that would be mistaken for mirrors from a distance. She was helpful, after this she was doing a mirror teleportation spell. Hopefully the sponsors were checking their faces or something. “Go smash, I need to talk to Mark” He waved the other boy off and Doug pouted, but did as he was told. Ben approached the son of Merriweather with a very special mission. “I need you to do a sleep spell” He instructed. Mark raised an eyebrow.

          “On who?” He asked. “Because if your idea is to put Maleficent to sleep then you have another thing coming.” Ben scowled.

          “Are you going to sass or are you going to help me!?” He barked at the young man. Mark shrugged.

          “I’ll help, but I would like to remind you that this is all your fault” Ben rolled his eyes.

          “I’ve heard. It’s noted. But I still think I’m right so” Mark gave a laugh at that.

          “I think you’re delusional.” Ben glared until Mark relented. “Fine, fine—sleep spell. Who’s the target?” Ben smiled at last. They might just pull this off.

 

**_ Six pm _ **

**__ **

          “This is insanity” Cruella snarled. She was no longer pulling Adam around. Maleficent was magically controlling the chains. With no mirrors and all spells coming up empty they were reduced to checking each room individually. None of them would ever admit it, but they were terrified for their children. With each empty room the dark cloud of worry grew around them. Janet’s eyes widened, but she managed to stifle her gasp as she felt Jane’s magical signature. Maleficent felt magic as well, but she hadn’t been around Mal enough to recognize what hers felt like.

          “This way” She pulled everyone to the room she felt the pull from. It was the girl’s room. She had to wonder why they hadn’t started the search in their children’s rooms. Jafar slammed the door down with his cane and Evie ran to the destroyed door.

          “Mother!” Evelin pushed past Jafar to rush in and hug her daughter.

          “Evie!” She hugged the girl close, then reached back and smacked her. “Don’t scare me like that again!” Evie had been so close to the door that Evelin was completely blocking anyone else from entering. At the cough behind her she looked up to find the other children only to realize that besides Evie, the room was as deserted as the rest of the school. “Where’s everyone else?”

          “Mal got taken back to the palace. You must have just missed her. The boys are in Prince Ben’s room on the other side of the campus” Evie said, shrinking down on herself to be smaller. Evelin nodded and hugged her child again. Maleficent growled.

          “You two get your boys and take this school off the map.” She growled, her magic already working to turn her back into a dragon. “I’m done with this wild goose chase” She redestroyed the girl’s dorms as she took off with her three prisoners in tow.

          “Come on” Cruella snapped. “You have your daughter, she’s fine—let’s get the boys” Evelin rose and dusted off her skirt. She started to push Evie to the door, but found she couldn’t get past the threshold.

          “What the?”

           “Sorry mother” Evie said. “But there’s no getting out, which is good—because we need to talk” Evelin turned to her daughter, a suspicious look in her eyes. Evie took off her necklace, growing larger as she did. Her face softened and her sapphire locks shortened and became black as coal. Evelin recoiled as Snow White stood in front of her. The queen shook out her hair and dusted off her clothes, a larger replica of Evie’s normal ensemble. She looked at the other two villains. “I wasn’t lying you know. If you want your sons, I’d start heading to the other side of the campus if I were you.”

          “Where’s my daughter!?” Evelin demanded as she tried and failed to get through the door. Snow looked at her critically.

          “I’m right here, and as mentioned Mother—we have a lot to talk about.” At Evelin’s horrified look Snow took pity on her. “My sister is completely unharmed, she’s in Prince Ben’s room as well. The only one not there is Mal, who’s at the castle.” The villains looked at each other, then back to Evelin. With a decision they turned to go find their sons. Evelin beat against the invisible barrier.

          “What are you doing?! Don’t leave me here! HELP ME!” The two continued on as if they couldn’t hear her, going to find the rooms of the crown prince of Auradon.

 

**_ Four thirty PM: _ **

**__ **

          _“From this slumber you will wake as dawn’s last light the horizon does take”_ Mark finished his spell again. They had started with Mal for obvious reasons, and now it was only Evie left to go under. Mark put Carlos, who had been lured to the room by telling him it was where his shrug was hiding, on the bed beside Jay. Mal was already in transit back to the palace. He turned to Ben. “Alright. I’m ready for the last one.” He said.

          “Why are you using _your_ room for this?” Jane asked.

          “Because I’m dating Mal and she put a stranger danger spell on my room. No one can enter unless they have permission. And neither Jafar nor Cruella have permission.”

          “What if they come here _first?_ ” Jane asked. “What if Maleficent just breaks the spells?” Ben shrugged. “Then we tried. And I don’t think they will. The shimmers are meant to lead them the right way.” Jane started at him. “And I asked Fred to cast a good luck spell when he came back to say he was done” Jane nodded again as Ben took out his phone to text Charming. Within minutes the blond was opening the door to allow the would be princess through.

          “Hello Ben” Evie said, still strangely disenchanted from everything. “You called my boyfriend so I figured I might as well walk with him.” Out of the kids she was the one that sounded like she was in a trance. Ben nodded at the girl

          “I had to talk to chad about Tourney” He explained. “Why don’t you take a seat?” Evie nodded once and turned her head. At once she saw the unconscious forms of her friends. Before she could turn back around she heard a heavy thud. She turned the other way then. She saw that Chad he been hit with a blunt object and was now a pile on the floor.

          “What’s going on?” She asked, again with no inflection to her voice.

          “Nothing you need to be worried about” Snow White said as she exited from the shadows.

          “Are you going to kill me?” Evie asked, still bored. “If you are, just don’t hurt the face, alright?” Snow smiled.

          “I’m not going to hurt you. I just need to borrow something” She looked Evie critically before walking up to her and taking the necklace from around her throat. “Thank you very much sister” She smiled. Evie distractedly rose her hand to touch were the necklace was.

          “Take something else” She protested weakly as Mark started again with his spell. “That brought the whole outfit together. I’ve simply got to be the fairest of them all and how will I do that without the proper attire?” She fell asleep due to the effects of the spell, falling out on the bed and managing to hit both Jay and Carlos before Mark straightened her out. Snow recited the disguise spell and placed it on the necklace she’d taken from Evie.

          “I need something that looks like what she would wear” She explained. Ben looked at the time.

          “Can you just turn into her, get into position, and then use something from her closet?!” He begged. Snow thought for a moment.

          “That could work” She admitted. Then she put on the necklace. Within seconds there was another Evie standing there. Mark lifted Chad with his magic and Jane grabbed Snow by the hand.

          “I’ll take you to the room. And I want to strengthen that spell just in case Maleficent does enter the room.” Jane shuddered. “This is a terrible idea” She whimpered. She whirled back on Ben. “I would like to go on _record_ saying this is the single worst idea ever and we’re all going to be killed for annoying Maleficent. Ben nodded.

          “Noted, now—you’re got to get across Campus and _get out_ before they arrive and I’ve got to get to the palace to meet up with my parents.” Jane groaned, but grabbed the duplicate and guided her to the proper room. Ben readjusted the invisible wire he’d gotten from Prince Flynn and nodded to himself. When the adults broke through Mal's spell they'd activate his trap. He was about to leave when a quiet whimpering caught his attention. He looked over to see Dude whining at the unresponsive Carlos. He crossed back and picked up the dog. “Come on. He’ll be back to normal by the time you see him again…I hope”

 

**_ Seven Pm _ **

Maleficent was pissed. She landed in the courtyard to storm the palace by foot. The three bound prisoners behind her were dragged along harshly. Once she reached the throne room she stopped short, a gasp clawing its way to her throat. The burning force of her glare melted away the tears that were building up. Mal was laid out in almost a coffin save for her soft breathing. This was cruel, and was using her revenge against her, that was underhanded. She was so horrified she lost control of her spell and her prisoners fell to her feet.

          “It’s alright” The voice that she was expecting chimed out, just as pleasant as she remembered. “She’s just sleeping after all. And for significantly less time than I was supposed to. The woman turned. Diaval had one of his wings bandaged up. He was sitting in her arms and being stroked, though he did seem to have the closest thing to a pout on his face that a bid could have.

          “Traitor” Maleficent scowled at the bird. He retreated further into the woman holding him. She dragged her eyes back to Aurora’s smiling face. “So, I’m guessing this setup was your idea. What do you want” She snapped. Aurora’s face fell.

          “To apologize mostly. We both did horrible things because we were angry” Maleficent’s growl stopped her short.

          “You _abandoned_ me” She snarled.

          “You cursed me.” Aroura pointed out. There was an unstable crackle of magical energy around Maleficent and Aroura jostled Diaval a bit, causing him to squawk and for Maleficent to reign herself in lest she hurt the bird. “I just want to talk. We have about an hour until sunset. We won’t be bothered until then. Ben is still on his way here and if his plan worked, which it must have for you to be here alone, then Cruella and Jafar are under a net until their children are able to help.” Maleficent glared at Aurora again and turned. She resisted the urge to shudder at Mal on the slab and marched past her daughter to the thrones. She sat on the largest one and glared down at Aurora, carefully avoiding looking at Mal.

          “Fine. Talk”


	10. No such thing as a calm chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. ALSO-guess who finally watched the movie? Guess who actually hated it. I said-I can do better than that. Then I remembered I was writing a fic. There will be elements from the movie, I know-kinda have a better grip on their personalities (They were really wish washy with characterization and they were trying to focus on SO Manny people I couldn't really tell what was them for the most part) anywaves) I'm keeping Cruella cause that was the only villain parent whose Character I agreed with. Maleficent is more taken from her movie but she is gonna have some goofy moments. Not in this one, but look out for them. There should only be one or two chapters after this. Then is the second and third installments. THEN is... it's fun if I acshoaly write it.

          “This is pathetic” Cruella groaned with a glare to her companion. Jafar scoffed at her, but silently agreed. The two hadn’t been able to get through the door, Mal’s magic would have been nothing if Jafar’s magic had been free, but that would have entailed him bringing his lamp off the isle. The two had gone to figure out another way in. Ben, the pain in the ass prince had laid a tripwire halfway down the hall. When the two had sprung it, arguing all the while, they were caught under the net, which was weighted enough that even when the three in the other room woke up it would be a struggle to get out. The second they did they were getting Evelin and going right to the palace. Jafar was fiddling with the rings on his fingers. “What _are_ you doing?!”

          “Trying to make Jay steal mirrors” He explained to the woman. Apparently, more explanation was needed, because she used her limited movement to smack him upside the head. “WHAT?!” he shouted at her

          “WHY ARE YOU DOING SOMETHING AS STUPID AS THAT?!” He rolled his eyes.

          “No matter how well prepared these children were, they are still _children_. They didn’t have the magic necessary to destroy all of the mirrors. I know I sensed a minor hypnotism spell on those shimmers. I used to cast them on worthless little trinkets to steer thieves away from the real treasure room.” Cruella’s face turned ashen, then bright red in rage.

          “WHY DIDN’T YOU WARN ANYONE YOU INCOMPETENT DOLT!!!!?” He rolled his eyes at her.

          “I didn’t think anything of it, an oversight on my part that I’m trying to correct.” She scoffed

          “By making Jay steal a mirror when or if he wakes up.”

          “It’s when. Hero children couldn’t be that dark if they wanted to. And if I can make it urgent enough, Jay might be able to shake off this spell.

Jay for his part was not doing well. He was being held asleep by a spell…but he wanted, no _needed_ to steal a mirror. It was the next big thing, how could he have not seen it before! If he could wake up, he could get a mirror, he could bring it to his father! _That_ , a mirror was the thing he needed to make his father proud, make him happy, and make everything in life better. He just had to get through the fog in his mind to get up and find a suitable mirror. Unfortunately, that was proving easier said than done. He fought and struggled and tried his hardest. Physically? The only apparent difference was that the body groaned once, then his arm lifted, but only long enough to drape across Carlos.

 

* * *

 

 

Aroura looked at her friends chained up at her feet, still stroking Diaval, then turned back to her fairy godmother. Maleficent’s gaze was full of steel and venom. Aroura still smiled. “You know” She started conversationally. “There is nothing I regret quite so much as signing on the paperwork to send you away.” Maleficent scoffed at her. “It’s _true_ ” Aurora protested. “I was angry and hurt and listened to my mother and never even gave you a chance to explain yourself.”

          “There is no explanation” The dark queen sniffed. “I wanted you dead, and so I went to destroy you.” Aurora’s smile fell then, but rather then seem upset-it was more a flat look.

          “Godmother we both know that’s a lie”

          “ _YOU_ do not get to call me that. Not anymore.” Aroura looked sad then, but nodded.

          “I suppose that’s fair after the pain I’ve caused.” Queen Belle, King Adam, and the fairy godmother were all _lost_. And worse-neither one of them was explaining. “But if it makes it any better, I financed letting Mal come to the school. I was hoping for something like this…” She trailed off, looking at her friends chained to the ground and Mal laying in a sleep like death. “Well, not like _this_ …but I was hoping we might be able to speak again.” Maleficent was unmoved, not even looking at the woman. Her gaze was firmly on Diaval. The bird cuddled closer to Aurora. “Thank you for not killing me” She continued. “You had ample opportunity to, but you did not.” She bowed slightly. Maleficent’s mouth stayed in a harsh frown. “I have a daughter now too. I had hoped she and Mal would be fast friends, but that doesn’t seem the case. Her grandmother got to her while I was undergoing readjustment.” Maleficent gave a harsh intake of air at that, and turned to stare at the woman in horror. Aroura bit her lip to keep from smiling. She had a _feeling_ the knowledge would catch her godmother’s attention.

          “How long did they keep you trapped in readjustment?” Her voice was soft…was scared. Aurora smiled gently.

          “In and out…never for more than two weeks at a time. But I go back every time I have a kind word for you or Diaval.” She giggled while Maleficent rolled her eyes.

          “I see your mother’s still a bitch” The dark fairy said calmly. Aurora suppressed another giggle at that.

          “She says the same about you.” The princess said gently. Maleficent growled and went to turn her head again when Aurora spoke once more. “When Prince Ben asked to bring some villain children from the Isle I cleared my schedule to go to him and beg for your daughter. I knew if she came you would to…eventually. Either to try and take over or to be ‘reformed’”. She sorted about that. “But of course as I say you can’t be reformed as there is nothing wrong with you somehow the second part of my statement gets knocked off.”

          “What do you want?” Maleficent demanded. “All of these pleasantries. Why?” Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at the woman across from her.

          “Do you really want Auradon?” Aurora asked gently. I mean, _really_? King Adam and Queen Belle have treated you as their guest. Prince Ben is the one that requested you come to see your daughter and Mal herself has been doing very well in school. Please, be angry with me. I’m the one who’s signature sent you to the isle in the first place. I have been working to rectify that. I’ve regretted it since.” Maleficent looked down at her prisoners. There was truth to what Aurora said, they hadn’t been cruel…not unnecessarily so, in fact-her guard had been a warrior princess. Her anti magic bonds were quite powerful, and quite comfortable.

          “Your kingdom is a part of Auradon proper” She pointed out. Aroura shook her head.

          “Not my kingdom. My mother’s yes. My husband’s yes. I have but one piece of land to myself. It is my only personal property and I will gladly give it to you if you stop.” Maleficent blinked, flabbergasted though her face didn’t let it show. “What is a queen without an area to rule?” She asked. “You would be a queen again, empress if that is the title you so desire. Mal would once again be a princess.” Maleficent tilted her head as she stared at the woman. The two stared for a while.

          “I promised the others” Maleficent said after a long while. “And you ought to know I never skip out on a promise.” Aroura nodded.

          “I’m not talking about the others.” She said gently. “I am talking about you. The others are being spoken to as well. I believe Lady Snow is confronting Lady Evelin. Sultana Jasmine and Aladdin are on rote from Agrabah at this moment. I can’t speak for all the others. I would also not presume to make you break a promise. Would /you/ stop for Mal to be a princess again?” Maleficent settled into the throne, thinking. Aroura pulled a rolled up scroll of paper from her bag. “It was purely rhetorical of course. I would give it to you anyway. Your revenge for me sending you away” Maleficent did not move, just stared at the scroll with unblinking eyes. “Take it. Make me a pauper if Phillip would leave. Take your kingdom and your revenge all in one fell movement.” She wasn’t lying. There was no trap waiting to spring…and both women knew it.

 

* * *

 

 

          “GET AWAY FROM ME!” Ex Queen Evelin had a particular talent. She could, without contorting her face in any odd manner, raise her voice to pitchy screaming. Snow White was, oddly enough-across the room from her. She sighed deeply.

          “Lady Mother I just wished to speak to you.” She adopted a kind smile, the one the Queen had always hated due to the dangers of laugh lines.

          “DON’T CALL ME THAT!” Evelin protested. “I was a _step_ mother and hated for it!”

          “You were the kindest and sweetest step mother in all of creation.” Snow continued, I have no idea how mothers in the fairytales were always so horrid. You were an angel to me. And a good a fair queen.”

          “HA! That’s a lie if I’ve heard one!” Snow bit her ruby red lower lip.

          “I’m not lying Lady Mother. You were the only mother I have ever known and you were wondrous, marvelous.” Evelin scoffed and turned her head away. They had playing this game for a while now. Every time the once queen turned, the new queen gave a few carful steps toward her. When she noticed how close Snow had gotten, she would order her away again. Snow was getting a little bit farther each time.

          “Not good enough for your father apparently” The woman sniffed. “He wanted the most beautiful in the kingdom as a bride. Then what does he do-he regrets the decision.”

          “He _never_ regretted marrying you!” Snow protested as she took a few more careful steps. She was now halfway across the room. “If anything, he regretted his foolishness…though certainly not quite as much as he would have regretted telling you had he known what would happen.” The evil once queen scoffed

          “You’re still thinking of the lies I told before I started seeing the world for the truth.” She sneered at the girl she’d once sweetly called daughter. Snow shook her head sadly.

          “That’s your mirror speaking, not you. Not my mother. My mother was kind she was pure she—”

          “I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER” she screamed. At the hurt in Snow’s eyes she began to cough up blood, but swallowed it back. “I am /not/ your mother” She said again harshly.

          “You were the best mother I’ve ever had” Snow said genuinely. The Evil Queen’s face snapped up at the words, and the kind smile on Snow’s face.

          “Get away from me.” The older woman snarled. Snow took a few steps back, but was still smiling kindly.

          “You know this spell will get worse the longer it lasts. It’s been how long since it was cast and already she’s so different. You told me once, very long ago that if you focus only on beauty you will miss out on the rest of your life. Please don’t make her miss out on the same things you did mother.”

          “I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER!!!!!!” she screamed. Snow’s words were starting to get to her, but she reminded herself that if Evie were beautiful enough, the rest of her life would fall into place.

          “My mother was the single most beautiful woman I knew.” Snow said calmly. “I’m sure if you try, even now you can still be the woman I knew. I have never once doubted you mother. I trust you. It was why I ate the apple. And I trust you to this day.” Her smile was unfaltering in its kindness. “I’ve always Trusted you mother. And she will to. You make the right choices. It just takes a while sometimes.”

 

* * *

 

Jay managed to jerk himself…not awake, but up. He stumbled to the door, but his eyes didn’t open. He just smashed himself against it a few times before slumping onto the ground and snoring loudly. Jafar groaned in the net with Cruella. She rolled her eyes. The two could hear Jay snoring on the other side of the door.

          “I’ve got a plan” She said suddenly. Jafar looked at her with raised eyebrows. “It involves our children”

          “So it’s not a plan to get us out of this, frankly embarrassing situation. But, it’ll spoil their plans.” Jafar raised his eyebrow. After a beat he gestured for the woman to continue. “So” She started, “Why on earth would everything be happening at the palace where we _aren’t_ ” He thought for a moment. “To separate us” She hissed at him. “They got rid of the two with active magic and trapped us here. Evelin will stay trapped in that room with Snow White and we’d be forced to walk the whole way back to the palace. However, if there are any mirrors around, then Evie can spell them, we can slide it through the door for Evelin and instead of the hour of walking back to the palace-we will be there minutes after sundown. Not to mention, the spell should have made the children perfect by then. Think, four evil children with their-possibly three due to Maleficent being incapacitated-evil parents. All about an hour before they were expecting us!” Jafar grinned.

          “Take them by surprise and destroy them from the inside. You’re clever. It’s a wonder the idiot divorced you.”

          “ _I_ divorced _him_. And thank you, one tends to be clever to run several successful fashion empires at once.”

 

* * *

 

 

Outside the palace a gilded carriage stopped. The door swung open, only for Jane to stop the figure from getting out. “Hi” Jane smiled. “You must be Carlos’ sponsor. That’s” She snorted. “That’s kind of ironic. But, anyway-I need you to stay here for about.” She checked her watch. “Well, the parents won’t be here for another 20 minutes…and then there’s going to be…” She made a nervous sound in the back of her throat before she shook her head.

          “It’s no problem dear. I needed to go over my part anyway. I don’t exactly have the same connections as the other sponsors. Are you sure I’m even helpful.” Jane did manage a smile.

          “You saw the drawings. OH!” Jane remembered then. “I need to change your clothes. Umm…Can you get out and spin for me?” With an indulgent smile the sponsor came out and started to slowly twirl for the girl. Jane thought for a while, then tried. “You right now look perfect, but let’s make your clothes clash. All sorts of patterns and colors to bash” The spell worked. Every stich of fabric was wrong on the woman and she giggled as she looked at the new ensemble. “I’ll come get you” Jane promised, then ran back over to where Ben and Doug were waiting with Dude. “I hope this works.” She hissed at the prince.

          “Hope is good” Dude whimpered in his arms and he bounced the puppy to keep it quiet. “In fact” Ben continued, “I’m pretty sure we’re only running on hope and prayers and… _wishes_ ” Doug rolled his eyes.

          “We’re all going to die.” He shook his head.


	11. Sticky situation

Jane was the lookout as Doug, Ben, and dude snuck in. Ben’s whole plan was centered on the hope that the villain parents were still, well, _parents_ and so cared about their children…somewhere in the deep recesses of the black holes that resided where their hearts should have been. Three of the sponsors had wanted to meet the villains in the first place, and though Carlos’ sponsor didn’t have any amazing connection, in fact-she was just sponsoring him because she had a surplus of money and wanted to help people, they wanted to talk to them.

He wasn’t sure what the deal was with Aurora and Maleficent. Queen Leah hated the woman, that much he knew-but Aurora seemed to desperately want to meet her. Queen White seemed more interested in meeting her ‘sister’ than anything. She had agreed to meet with her stepmother but she had seemed far more interested in her step sister for reasons Ben didn’t know and couldn’t find out.

Ben and Doug dipped inside the castle through the servant’s entrance. Said servants seemed terrified at the mere fact that Maleficent was upstairs. Which was a fair fright. The woman was an insanely powerful dark fairy with near limitless magic at her fingertips and quite possibly pissed off. As they snuck upstairs Ben’s heart clenched at the sight of his parents bound on the ground. It was a good thing they left Jane outside, she would undoubtedly give away their position and start to cry. He gave Dude over to Doug and crept over to his parents while Aurora quite solidly kept the attention of the dark queen. While she was supposed to.

          “ _MOM, DAD_ ” Bed whisper yelled. He hugged them as best he could. “I have a plan…but you’re not going to like it.” He whispered to his parents. Adam S

          “I never liked any of it” The king reminded him. Belle rolled her eyes at her husband.

          “ _Ben_ ” She asked gently. “ _Does this plan keep you safe_?” She asked. He frowned.

          “ _If all goes well, we’ll all be safe_.” He promised. “ _If not…well, hopefully it goes well_.” He stopped to look at Aurora and Maleficent. _“It all starts at sundown. Then all the kids will be here and we have to trust the villains_.” Belle nodded while Adam groaned.

          “ _We’re going to die_.” The king said. A smirk pulled at Ben’s lips.

          “ _That’s the exact same thing Doug said_ ” the prince said. He turned to look back at Maleficent and Aurora. “ _I can’t free you yet. I have to wait until Mal wakes up_.” He explained. “ _Then something horrible is probably going to happen to me but…according to Snow White-this should all work_.” Belle blinked then.

          “ _Isn’t that the same princess who married all seven dwarves_?” She asked her son. He nodded. She nodded at the confirmation. Her husband was right. They were all going to die.

 

* * *

 

 

“I know” She said in response to whatever Maleficent had just asked, then looked at the setting sun with a sigh. She walked up to her godmother, scroll out. “As promised.” Maleficent stared at the paper as it was offered and took it. Aroura looked her dead in the eyes. “I hope you do the right thing by your daughter. You did the right thing by your goddaughter.” She bowed her head and went to wait outside. Maleficent would think that she’d left-which was what she wanted. As she left, the last rays of sunlight vanished. As the sun set fully and the girl on the slab shuddered and shivered before she yawned and stretched.

“MAL” Maleficent practically flew down to check on her daughter. Mal shook out her hair, then pure green eyes blinked open. There were no whites to them, _pure_ green eyes. She blinked without blinking, her translucent upper lid closed over her slit eye and she made a sort of hissing growl kind of sound in the back of her throat that didn’t seem entirely human.

 

* * *

 

As the sun set Evie woke up. She didn’t actually get up. Her eyes fluttered open, but she didn’t move. She was trying to best figure out how to best get up so that her clothing wasn’t wrinkled. She didn’t notice how blue her irises suddenly were. Carlos rolled off of the bed as he shook his head. His eyes had also changed. One was pure white save for the pupil and the red that filtered through the iris. His other eye also had red in the iris, though it looked as if his pupil was blown out since that eye was black. Jay shot up off the ground, eyes red and gold. He grabbed the mirror from where it was hanging on the wall, then kicked the door off of its hinges, intent on bringing the item to his father

          “JAY” He turned his head as Jafar called him, then sprinted over to where his father was down on the ground. He presented the man with the mirror with a grin. Jafar rolled his eyes. “Marvelous. Now, get us out.” Jafar ordered. Jay bent down and grabbed the net, struggling against the weights. Carlos came to help at his mother’s call. Evie exited the room…but used the mirror to check her face and make sure she looked ‘perfect’. Ben had wanted them to take some time getting the adults out, he hadn’t foreseen Jay using his magic to free them.

 

* * *

 

 

It was only a few minutes before the mirror in the throne room starts to glow. Ben hears the tinkling sounds of magic and he checks his internal clock to realize they are about four minutes to early. Shit. There’s nothing to be done about it now. So he starts to loudly rattle his parents’ chains as he tries to ‘free’ them, mostly trying to draw attention to himself.

Mal looks over and snarls again, smoke escaping through unnaturally sharp teeth as she gets up. The villains, and Snow White-who is held in delicate chains behind Ex-Queen Evelin, all turn to look at the interloper.

 

* * *

 

 

Jane looked at the setting sun as Aurora walked down the palace steps. She set her watch and gave a nod to Carlos’ benefactor. The penniless princess had a serene sort of half smile on her face. She gave a little half nod to Jane. Then, then they heard the sound of a carriage. Aurora looked in gentle confusion as Jane looked in horror. The giant glittering carriage pulled to a stop as Jane pulled Carlos’ benefactor out of her carriage.

Queen Leah stepped out of the new carriage, rage in her eyes. Audrey stepped out right behind her. Jane ran to intercept the two. “What are you _doing_ here?” She hissed at them. Audrey got in her face.

          “I knew, I _KNEW_ when Benny Boo invited her in the first place that something like this would happen. The second the parents came I contacted Grandma and after Evie pulled that mess in the lunchroom I went to grandma for advice.” She finished with a flourish to the woman, but Queen Leah was looking at her daughter with unrestrained horror.

          “Aurora what are you doing here!” She demanded. Diaval cawed at the queen, still held in Aurora’s loving embrace. Queen Leah looked down in disgust. “And with that _thing_. You have to be kidding me! I thought Readjustment would have fixed you by now, but you need to go back before you do something stupid like—”

          “Like give back what should have never been taken in the first place?” Aurora asked, voice hard and eyes icy. There is a beat, then Leah seems to get even angrier than before.

          “SIXTEEN YEARS! SIXTEEN! AND YOU DON’T SEEM TO CARE! YOU’RE FIRST STEPS, YOU FIRST WORDS, SXTEEN YEARS WHERE YOU WERE MISTREATED AND LIVED A LIE AND YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING BUT THE HAPPINESS OF AN EVIL MANIAC!” Aroura opened her mouth to offer a rebuttal, but the two were shocked out of their argument by a magical crackling of thunder. “I’m going to put a stop to her once and for all” Leah said with barely restrained anger. She started to storm up the stairs to the palace, Audrey on her heals…then they weren’t.

          “JANE WAT ARE YOU DOING” Audrey screamed at once. Both she and her grandmother were stopped from proceeding any further due to the thick vines that now surrounded them. In a page out of her mother’s book, Jane had turned both carriages into pumpkins, pumpkins that were actively pulling the two back down the stairs, away from the door, and into the large super pumpkin that had been created when the carriages had gotten too close.

          “I DEMAND YOU LET ME OUT AT ONMRHER” A particularly thick vine wrapped its way around the Queen’s mouth as it held her in place. The pumpkin was more like a jail cell than anything. No matter how much either struggled, it held them firmly away from the door of even the carriage itself.

          “I am _so_ sososososo sorry.” Jane pleaded against the angry two being held by her magic. But her hands stayed up, firmly keeping the two entwined in her spell. “I _swear_ I’ll let you go when it’s safe, but if you go in there right now.” There was another crack of energy, followed by green lightning. “You can’t go in there right now.”


	12. Lucky in love

Mal rises up as she narrows her eyes at Ben. “And just /what/ do you think you’re doing?” She demands. He shoots away from his parents, eyes darting between his parents and his girlfriend. Maleficent is, for the moment, distracted by the paper in her hands. She rolls it open just enough to see that it is in fact the beginnings to a deed. She then rolls it back up. The chains were a signal and once Doug heard it, he let Dude go running to Carlos. He chased after the dog like it had been a mistake, catching him with little enough time to stop by Carlos and Cruella’s feet. He got up and backpedaled, intelligent eyes blown wide in fear that was only half faked.

          “You!” Evelin said with a smirk. “My daughter’s ex. How nice to meet you with your proper title.” Snow looked up in fear.

          “Doug?” Snow white was fully aware that Doug should be there as she was knew all about the plan.

          “MOM!?” Doug was not fully aware of the plan, if only because he wasn’t that great an actor or liar and so hadn’t been told a bit to assure some organic responses. This particular Organic response was assured by Queen Snow. The evil queen. When confronted by his terror that his mother might actually be in danger, began to cough.

Carlos’ eyes lit up at the sight of Dude. “There’s my shrug!” He smiled widely and went after Dude, which was Doug’s cue to _run._ Each of the kids had their own problems. Carlos was going to undeniably be the hardest one to change back. According to Queen White, Evie should be the easiest. Hopefully followed by Mal if Aurora had done her job right. They really didn’t need Mal of all people to be evil the longest-she might destroy Auradon before they even had a chance to save it. Jay was, luckily, distracting himself with all of the shiny stuff in the throne room. He would grab something then take it to his father and put it next to the man on the ground.

          “You were trying to free your parents?” Mal asked, but there was nothing about the creature in front of him that was even remotely reminiscent of Mal. There couldn’t be anything. It was all wrong. The thing that was supposed to be Mal was too sharp, from the tips of the horns it sprouted to even the angles of her face and the fall of her hair. The shining draconic green eyes glowed with a cruel mirth that shouldn’t have been there. Ben couldn’t help but to shiver under the gaze, which twisted the thing’s lips into a disturbing caricature of a smile. “Awwww, what’s the matter ‘ _Benny Boo_ ’?” it asked. Even the voice was wrong, devoid of warmth and the odd affectionate lilt that her voice had when she spoke to him. In fact, the smoke pouring from her mouth probably had more in common with her actual voice then the monstrosity that escaped her throat. “Don’t you _like_ the new and improved me?” She threw her head back and laughed…cackled, there was no laughter in that cruel mockery of a voice. It made his blood run cold. Her cruel lips parted and there were rows of razor sharp teeth, each as deadly as she sounded. He stood up, standing his ground against the creature wearing the face of his girlfriend.

          “Mal…you have to stop” he _really_ wished his brothers were around…they might make the situation worse actually. He really wanted the emotional support right now. This had the possibility of _ending_ Auradon.

          “I _have_ to?” She let out a bark of laughter, the dark energy rolled off of her in waves causing a large crack from the physical manifestation of it to accompany the sound. “I don’t HAVE to do anything ‘Benny Boo’. I’m so powerful I could do anything. I could take down Auradon if I wanted…in fact, I think I will. Starting with the prince!” There was a crackle of green lightning. Maleficent looked up.

          “Starting with the Prince?” She asked, but it was too quiet for Mal to have heard. She looked over at the closest person, who was Evelin. Evelin for her part, also looked concerned with the statement. Mal had been over the moon about that boy and Maleficent wouldn’t have wanted to change her mind about _him_. Why would she? The boy made her daughter happy. Mal did not seem to remember her happiness as she sneered at the prince. As the next words left her mouth.

          “Foolish Prince with a heart of gold, Gain one of Ice and a body as cold. Stand frozen to melt and this world you will miss. Freed only by true love’s swift kiss” There was a flashing of lightning larger than before. His parents called out for him, but he was solid ice. She cackled again and swept up the stairs, lounging on the queen’s throne and sighing like a particularly happy cat…snake with the scales that were crawling up her skin.

          “BEN!” With the next yell, Adam started to change. Skin becoming tawny brown and snarling with new fangs. Maleficent put a stop to that, sending a swift spell to turn him into a mewling kitten. Belle’s eyes widened and she cradled her husband fearfully. Maleficent was thinking, which was difficult enough with Mal’s cackling but damn near impossible with Adam snarling.

This…this wasn’t her daughter sitting on that throne, of course it wasn’t, but she’d been planning on just taking over Auradon to save Mal’s life and putting her back once everything was done. Her eyes trailed over to the statue of Ben, already starting to melt in the warm spring air. She looked at Belle clutching her husband and crying.

          “Evelin” She whispered to her friend as she watched her daughter start to redesign the throne room to fit her style. “Do you get the feeling…that feeling deep in the bottom of your soul….I don’t know what to call it, but that feeling you get when your child cries because of you? That thing Cruella doesn’t possess?” Evelin spun around to look at her. Cruella, if she heard the comment ignored it while Jafar scoffed. Carlos, as if proving the comment slid into the room…and into a wall chasing after the panicked boy holding the dog.

          “Why on earth would you feel like that? Mal’s happy and soon to be healthy.” Evelin then pointed to the cackling young woman on the throne. “You’re only worried because they’re acting out of character. Look, we’re their parents, we know best. This will make them happy.” To prove her point she turned to her daughter, having to find her first as she was wandering around looking for the best lighting in the room. “Evie” She called. “Aren’t you happy dear?”

          “Of course not mother” Evie said distractedly, focusing on her refection. She thought for a bit, flipping her hair this way and that before pursing her lips and moving to another spot in the room.

          “See” Evelin said turning back to the Empress of all Evil. Then she belatedly realized that what she’d wanted to hear and what was said were two different things. “Wait, _what_?” Had she just heard wrong?

          “I’m devastated.” Evie said, in her distracted voice. Lying to her mother was not one of the things she was programed for. “The one guy who ever saw me as more than just a pretty face and I dumped him for a pretty face with more money. Chad would treat me so horribly if he weren’t under a spell. He called me a gold digging whore once before…I suppose I am now. But it’s a god thing. Smiling promotes laugh lines and tears _do_ cleanse the skin.” She practiced an appropriate smile in the mirror, one that wouldn’t cause wrinkles. Evelin was _also_ devastated. She began to cough once more, harsher this time. She doubled over, Snow watching with a sort of secretive smile. Blood appeared on the ground before she coughed out…a shard of glass? Well that would explain the blood. But no, it wasn’t glass, if you looked very closely…it was a broken _mirror._

          “I’m sorry” She said to her allies. Other than the blood around her mouth and on the floor around her you wouldn’t be able to tell what happened. “I refuse for my daughter to be this miserable. I’m out. I am _sooo_ out.” She shook her head again, Snow still smiling even as she handed the queen to Jafar. “EVIE” She called as she walked across the room. Evie looked up at her mother. “This” The Ex Queen said, pulling out the control lipstick. “This looks like it’s more your color.” Evie just started at it, then stretched out her hand gingerly to accept the tube being offered.

          “It looks like it’s to orange for me. Are you quite sure mother?” Evelin thought a bit. She looked at her daughter, really _looked_ at the girl. She’d never been more beautiful. The slight bags caused from visiting her friends at all hours were gone. She must have cared only about her makeup because it was applied perfectly and even now, she couldn’t stop her eyes from darting in the mirror, from trying to find flaws where there were none. She had gotten a bit tanner from spending time in the sun, which she would never do again. It made her skin to leathery. Evelin grit her teeth together…then nodded. Evie shrugged, then started to apply the lipstick. As soon as the color touched her lips, there was a bright blue burst of energy. Evie’s eyes turned back to normal as she clutched her head in obvious pain. She was gasping as well.

          “Maleficent” Evelin scolded. “You didn’t tell us there would be this much pain from them.” Maleficent looked over and raised an eyebrow.

          “There shouldn’t be” She said slowly.

          “Corset” Evie managed before she fell on the ground. Evelin understood and instantly felt bad. She’d transmitted that Evie’s waist was getting too big so, of course, Evie fixed it. Evelin kneeled next to her daughter and undid the offending item, allowing Evie to breathe once more. And breathe she did, taking great and greedy gasps of air. Snow smiled in Jafar’s grasp as Evie shook out her hair and looked around blearily. “Mom?” She started.

          “OH MY GOODNESS EVIE I’M SO HAPPY” Evelin just hugged her still confused daughter while Evie looked around. The blue haired girl’s gaze locked with that of Snow White for just an instant. Then she curled up into her mother’s hug to avoid the elder’s gaze…something was going on there. Snow’s expression had changed as well, becoming pensive for a moment before the smile was back.

          “Evelin you would cave for something as inconsequential as what your child assumed happiness was for a moment.” Jafar said, rubbing at his temples with the hand not holding unto Queen Snow’s chain. Jay was still dropping things at his feet. “I on the other hand, am giving him financial security. _That_ is what will make him happy.” Jay, for all he appeared to be doing nothing but stealing grunted in agreement.

          “I’ll be happy forever if doing this means you’ll finally be proud of me.” Jafar blinked in stupor, looking at his son.

          “Jay don’t be ridiculous” He chuckled. “I’ve always been proud of you. Surely you know that?” Jay’s face morphed into one of confusion. Then he helplessly help out the jewels he’d nicked. Jafar looked up to Maleficent, who screamed at him with her eyes that these were **_not_** their children. He sighed. Taking over Auradon had been a nice dream while it lasted. He took off the ring, then took Jay’s outstretched palm. “I have _always_ been proud of you.” That was all he had to say on the matter before returning Jay to himself.

 

* * *

 

 

All of the parents looked at Cruella. She looked back at them confused.

          “What!” She demanded.

          “I never go back on my word you know this” Maleficent hissed at the woman. “I need /everyone/ to quit before I can. _Please_ Cruella.” Cruella for her part, rolled her eyes and scoffed.

          “You’re all insane” She started “If you think even for a moment that I’m going to give up on all of my plans for something as trivial as a child.” The parents, including Belle and Janet on the ground, stared at her in horror.

          “MUMSY” The call rang out. Carlos had managed to wrestle Dude away from Doug. Back to normal, Evie and Jay gasped in horror as he brought the squirming puppy up to Cruella. “Can you hold it while I grab my skinning knife?”

          “NO!” The shout came from Evie, Doug, even Jay. Cruella rolled her eyes while Carlos turned to glare at his former friends.

          “Oh just _hush_! One dog is more than of a trade for my mother to love me!” Cruella stopped moving from where she’d been about to grab the dog.

          “Excuse me?” She hissed out. Jafar winced as if in pain and Evelin’s face grew white as a sheet as Maleficent’s eyes widened. She took a careful step behind the enraged woman.

          “Does this mean I can free Mal?” She asked almost delicately.

          “Do what you wish” Cruella said, voice tight. “But I suggest you hurry. You always were obsessed with getting people out of the way.” Cruella’s voice was tight and dry, but there was a barely repressed rage just underneath the surface. Maleficent ran like the hounds of Hell were after her. Strangely, even Mal had noticed the tension, bright green eyes focused completely on the woman who had grabbed a jar from her purse and was delicately smearing the back of her hand with the substance. She was distracted enough that Maleficent was able to take off her helmet and slide the hairclip in without problem. Mal’s eyes flashed green once before returning to normal.

          “Mom! I can’t _believe_ you actually”

          “Save your boyfriend and hide. Angry at me can come much later.” Mal’s eyes widened in worry.

          “But…my spell was for true love’s kiss, what if—”

          “Mal, just kiss him, it’ll work.” Maleficent looked behind herself, Belle pulled Ada a bit closer by the worried look on Maleficent’s face and the scarily calm one on Cruella. Evelin was flubbing the spell to make the mirror teleport them somewhere else while Jay and Evie were twitching as they waited to get inside. Mal ran to the melting statue of Ben and kissed it full on the lips. He flashed and in a moment was standing there in the flesh. He looked down at his body and smiled brightly, but before he could say anything there was a slap that resounded thought the room.

 

* * *

 

 

          “HOW **_DARE_** YOU” Maleficent grabbed both Ben and Mal and practically threw them against the nearest wall before she covered their sight of the event with her body.

          “Mom!” Carlos sounded terrified. “I…I didn’t me-I was under” There was another horrifying sound. No one but Janet, Belle, and Adam were actually watching as the kick sent Carlos a few feet away. After all, the smack had slammed him to the ground in the first place.

          “I DIDN’T WANT YOU AFTER THE DIVORCE” Another kick, this one accompanied by a crack. “I SENT ALL THREE OF YOU WITH YOUR FATHER! I _KNEW_ I WOULD MANAGE TO FUCK UP A KID” And that kick knocked him against a wall, where he tried to crawl up, blood and apologies bubbling from his lips. “BUT _NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO_ YOU HAD TO LIKE BOYS JUST LIKE YOUR BROTHER” Another punch, she might have broken his nose that time. “YOU HAD TO BE SOMEONE YOUR FATHER WOULD KILL! SO I TOOK YOU BACK! DON’T **_LOVE_** YOU! IF I DIDN’T LOVE YOU I’D HAVE LEFT YOU THERE TO ** _DIE_** YOU MISERABLE LITTLE INGRATE! HOW DARE YOU!!!” She sent him back to the floor with another crunch of bones and he stayed slumped, trying to breathe rather than suffocate on his own blood. Cruella gave an annoyed huff, then turned to leave him like that…then Dude started barking at her. She snarled at the dog, but Carlos managed to be faster than her foot. He lunged forward to cradle the dog with his own body, letting her kick him instead. She snarled again. “And you picked up that mangy creature!”

          “STOP!” It was the first time Carlos had yelled back at his mother and the surprise was evident on her face. He had to calm himself from his outburst by choking blood all over the floor for a moment. “Please, stop. You love me, I get it. But you never liked me. You harass me, you kick me around, you want to kill my best friend. You _like_ Cosset, you tolerate me. But mom, there’s a huge difference in how you treat us. That’s why I thought” His words cut off as he started to choke again. She rolled her eyes.

          “Firstly” She snapped “I never get to see your sister. You can’t ruin what you can never touch. Secondly, Cosset is a _girl_. I can design outfits for her, I don’t _do_ men’s fashion so unless you want to be running around in dresses.”

          “I DON’T MIND!” Cruella raised an eyebrow at Carlos’ outburst. “I would. I would wear them proudly. I’d say ‘This is a DeVille original so it looks better than _anything_ you could even dream of and what’s more my mom made it for me’” Cruella observed her son carefully. He was breading pretty badly and most likely had massive internal bleeding as well. The dog in his arms barked again, causing her attention to be drawn to it.

          “Knife” She ordered calmly.

          “Mom no, _please_ no!” He was crying now in addition to the blood.

          “KNIFE” She ordered again. There was a moment of silence as Carlos pulled out his skinning knife, smuggled in from the isle of the lost. Cruella snatched it from him and his eyes slid shut as he hiccupped through his tears. Dude was barking…then he stopped.

 

Then he started back up again. Carlos’ eyes flew open at the sight of the dog struggling to lick his face. The only change to Dude was a thin red collar around his throat. Carlos looked up as his mother. Her thin red belt was missing.

          “You…you destroyed an accessory for me!” He gasped. She rolled her eyes.

          “Repurposed, not destroyed. If you want to be around that _thing_ you had best start thinking of it as an accessory…like a purse. That being said, it has to match so the next time I see it, which should be shortly after your first ensemble arrives because you’re going to take pictures and show me, it had better be white or black or both and wearing something red. If, and only _if_ I have enough free time I might send a matching outfit for it. Do I make myself clear?” Carlos nodded so hard the force of it almost sent him back to the ground. Wordlessly, Cruella placed out her hand and Carlos ran for it, ducking his head under her fingertips as they played in his hair and soaking up the affection.

 

* * *

 

With Cruella’s tantrum over, the adults hesitantly let go of the children they were clinging too. (Even Doug had been grabbed by Evelin and hugged into her chest with Evie so that they were both spared the sight and Jay was hidden in Jafar’s cloak.) The kids of course, were not stupid. They had been able to hear it and Carlos was obviously injured even in his joy, but the villain children seemed content to ignore what hadn’t been witnessed.


	13. All well that...well, it'snot over yet

After a while Jane deemed it safe to let Carlos’ sponsor threw the door. The woman walked up looking idly at the scene for a moment of Carlos’ mom dapping at his injuries with a handkerchief while Maleficent used her magic to reset his bones.

          “This is going to make it much harder to destroy you” Maleficent commented idly as she looked at her daughter with a love struck Ben. He was altogether too happy with the whole ‘true love’s kiss’ thing. She didn’t have the heart to tell him. That seemed to snap him out of it for a moment.

          “MOM!” Mal protested. Maleficent waved off her complaints.

          “It’s the principal of the thing Mal. I need to destroy him to take over Auradon.” She shrugged. “I’ll just have to do it in a way that won’t upset you.” There was something there in Maleficent’s voice, something almost sad. Mal didn’t notice the tone and groaned.

          “Mom it will _upset_ me if you hurt Ben at all!” Again, Maleficent waved off the objection as if it didn’t matter.

          “I don’t expect you to know _why_ I need to take over, but either I’m going to take over and do my best not to hurt Ben, or he and…most likely this entire country will die. Painfully and horribly.” She nodded firmly. “And I won’t even entertain anything you have to say on the matter young lady” She added when Mal started screaming about how unfair it all was.

 

They couldn’t really _do_ anything, after all-Maleficent still had Janet’s wand. While she was plenty powerful, without it there was no way she could stand up to the other woman’s power. Carlos’ sponsor took this moment to lightly cough into her hand and alert the room to her presence. As planned, once Cruella noticed, she _noticed_.

          “What on _Eart_ h is that hideous ensemble disgracing your body?” The designer demanded. Cinderella giggled for a moment.

          “My Name is Queen ‘Cinder’ Ella-Louise Tremaine-Charming” She said as she walked over to Cruella, who was still staring at her dress as if it had personally and deeply offended her, which wasn’t too far off from the truth. “This may seem like an odd request, as you can see-I need a designer and well, when Prince Benjamin saw your designs he forwarded them to me” Everyone, besides Ben of course, was shell-shocked as the Queen went on to offer Cruella a job in her palace. Not only because it came somewhat out of nowhere or that she apparently trusted either the woman or the prince’s judgment that much-but it would make Cruella a citizen of Cinderella’s kingdom. She would be a citizen of Storybrook, and unless she were banished again, she wouldn’t… _couldn’t_ be sent back to the isle of the lost. Neither could Carlos. Cruella had realized this as well, staring at the woman even as she explained that all of the designs would have to be cruelty free. “Hello?” Cinderella asked gently and waved her hand in front of the eyes of an irresponsive Cruella. “Would you like the job?” She repeated.

          “Yes she would” Evelin spoke up for her. This managed to startle Cruella enough that she was able to nod jerkily. Cinderella smiled.

          “Oh good! You can come back home with me when I go. I mean, we need to find you a home, unless you’d like to live in the palace somewhere, which is fine. The north wing isn’t used so they can be your rooms and workshop. OH! And we need to get your things from the isle of the lost since you won’t be going back.” She continued speaking, but it faded back into white noise for Cruella. She wasn’t going back to the isle…Carlos wasn’t going back to the isle. He was going to be able to live out the remainder of his life in relative peace, so long as Cruella didn’t mess up to badly in the next four years or so.

          “Well” Evelin smiled ruefully. “At least that’s one of us off that miserable island.

          “Two” Jafar piped up. “Maleficent has a deed hidden up her sleeve. Maleficent looked up, as if she’d forgotten the deed was there.

          “Oh!” Evelin bustled over, allowing Queen White to check up to check up on her son. Mal perked up as well. They had land in Auradon? Jafar and Evelin were poking and prodding at her and while Ben, Adam, Belle, and Janet didn’t move to see like Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos, they were still plenty curious. Maleficent waved them all away so that she had room to open the deed and started to read it for everyone’s benefit.

          “This deed” She started. “Is to certify that Maleficent Böse owns in proper Title and full the lands herby stated within as their own separate city state in full legal power and principality of her rights the lands formerly known as ‘The Mo—” She stopped, mouth hanging open. She read it again, silently this time and including the latitude and longitude just in case she had read it wrong the first time. But no, she’d read it correctly.

          “Maleficent?” Jafar asked, seeing the pale look and almost pained expression he deemed it for something else. She staggered backwards and with a bit of magic, Mal created a chair for her to fall into.

          “Mom” She questioned. Maleficent did not answer at first. She put her head into her hands and took a few deep breaths. While she staggered, she had dropped the deed. Jay picked it up to look at the location.

          “The Moorlands? Where is that?” He asked. Carlos and Evie shrugged. Mal didn’t know, but the adults did. The Moorlands was a very large forest that separated Auradon from Queen Leah’s kingdom of Leian. She had been trying to convince her daughter to give it to her for nearly twenty years so that she could have it destroyed and use it to build a prep school in her own kingdom. She also wanted to build a highway so that it wasn’t a two day journey to Auradon. It was also

          “ _Home_ ” Maleficent whispered, head coming up out of her hands and tear tracks down her face. She wiped off the tear tracks with a breathless laugh. “Mal, we’re going home!” The Moorlands was the expansive magic empire that Maleficent had once ruled over. A safe haven for all Fey creatures so long as they pledged their allegiance and power to the Empress. Queen Leah had _hated_ magical creatures with a burning passion since the Good Fairies had failed to save the life iof her daughter, banishing them from her land and seeking to start wars or end trade with anyone who gave them refuge. Even with her racism, there were quite a few that were rich enough to give their children a world class education in Auradon. The headmistress was a Good Fairy herself. Queen Leah had quietly turned her efforts elsewhere but was still all for the extermination of magic as a whole. It was also, as stated, right next to both Leian, whose queen she hated, and Auradon, which she wanted to seize. It was no small amount of worry that was caused giving her back her land. She began to laugh, not cackle evilly like she was known to do, just genuinely laugh. She jumped up and ran to Mal, sweeping up her daughter and spinning her around. “WE ARE GOING HOME!” She was actually bouncing she was so happy. Mal had yelped as she was picked up and spun. “AND JUST IN TIME FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY!” Maleficent stopped moving suddenly. “We’ll be home for your sixteenth birthday.” She whispered. It seemed to have some significance to the adults because they all turned at that, even Cruella. Maleficent wiped away another tear, smiling.

          “Does it make you happy enough to _not_ take over Auradon?” Belle asked carefully from her corner. Maleficent turned as if she’d forgotten the woman existed, which she had for a moment if she were being perfectly honest with herself. She blinked in confusion.

          “Why do I want _Auradon_ I’m going HOME?! OH! That reminds me” With a snap, the chains binding the group were gone allowing the women to stand. Adam meowed from the floor and with a roll of the eyes and another flash of green energy he was standing tall once more. Maleficent turned again and was raving about how it was going to be the biggest party that had ever occurred. Janet bit the bullet, going to the distractible empress

          “My wand?” She asked. Maleficent blinked at her, then pulled the wand from where it was hidden in her sleeve. Right before handing it to Janet, she stopped

          “You know what. You can have this back _after_ Mal’s birthday.” She decided slowly. She nodded her head at the thought. “I don’t really trust anyone not to try and ruin this party. And nothing can ruin this party, nothing will exist if the party’s not perfect. Warning you from now.” She replaced the wand up her sleeve. Janet stared in horror, unsure of what Maleficent was planning.

          “SO” Evelin started loudly, “That’s two of us off of that isle. That deserves a party by itself!”

          “Three” Queen Snow piped up softly. The room turned to see her. Jay had picked her locks and she was idly rubbing at her wrists. “I’d like Henry to meet his grandmother, and maybe for you to help with him. I thought I was doing so well but my second youngest duckling just refuses to swim so I said, I need the help of the kindest and dearest mother I’ve ever known.” Evelin rolled her eyes at Snow’s incompetence even as the fairest of them all continued. “You were kindness itself when I didn’t deserve it and it was because of that I trusted you to my death. You gave me a second chance to see the new you, but heaven help me, I can only recall the true you. I still love you. I still trust you, and you could kill my body but not my love for you.” Evelin groaned as Snow smiled serenely. “At least meet him Lady Mother.”

          “Stop _calling_ me that! I am not your mother” Evelin snapped.

          “The only mother I’ve ever known” Snow reaffirmed. “And the offer will not be retracted. Stay with me and my husbands and all of my children as their grandmother. You would never have to go back to the isle and I will restore Evie’s status to that of a true Princess.” Evelin froze. “ _Please_ ” Snow begged. The Ex queen was silent for a bit before she sighed heavily.

          “Fine, I will _meet_ this ‘Henry’.” She relented. Snow smiled so brightly it was almost blinding. Doug, for his part, was trying to ‘subtlety’ dissuade his mother from her current course of action. Also, he had to check bylaws and see if he could date his aunt since he was adopted and she shared no blood with the queen. Then again, his mother _made_ the laws so if he begged to date Evie she would probably fix it.

          “Don’t worry Jafar” Maleficent said to the man as she squeezed his shoulder. “I have a kingdom again. You’re not going back to the isle either. In fact, I’m going to start transferring the entire isle over.” _That_ was bad news. In fact, it couldn’t be allowed to happen. Her kingdom was _way_ too close to Auradon. A bunch of villains and their just as bad kids in a place where their magic worked and they could seek revenge with no real repercussions? King Adam looked at Ben, eyes wide. Luckily, the prince had gained his mother’s brain, all the boys had. His quick mind was already thinking of ways to fix this.

          “Empress Maleficent” Everyone in the _room_ turned to Belle as she spoke, mostly because her voice was angry and stern. Was she crazy? She might have _actually_ gone crazy. “You know, we tried our damdest to make your stay pleasant and you wouldn’t let us! I absolutely refuse for you to disallow the rest of the Isle children to get a taste of Aruadonian kindness. We are trying to _apologize_ here!” There was a moment of silence, it seemed to stretch out forever, each second adding to both tension and fear. Belle for her part did not back down, arms crossed and glare firmly fixed on her face.

          “Very Well” Maleficent said finally. “You can apologize with your little villain program, but the _instant_ I hear about one of those children being mistreated or unfairly punished for something that they _genuinely_ do not understand I will raze Auradon so badly that the earth will be scorched a full mile from beneath where it once stood.” Belle was a genius, she was terrifying and needed to actually warn people of what she was planning, but she was a _genius_.

          “I’ve got the perfect cultural ambassador in mind. He just has to come back, he’s studying in Italy. He’ll be back in time for the first summer session.” He’d come back and he would _not_ be happy, he was however, never happy. Everything Ben had done would be explained to him as reasons why _he_ had to be the cultural ambassador. She loved Ben but he was not good at planning things out.

          Maleficent for her part, nodded at that. “And their parents? Some of them are…basically attached.”

          “If the child request we will bring the parent over with them and find someplace for said parent to stay close to the school until they are able to find gainful employment.” Maleficent tilted her head.

          “Are these promises to keep the adults in Auradon where you can keep an eye on them” she asked. Belle for her part, did not even have a waver in her voice as she responded.

          “They’re to keep a bunch of people who have a vendetta against Auradon from being directly next to Auradon where they can plot and in some cases carry out said revenge without consequences.” Maleficent raised an eyebrow, then cracked a smile. She turned to King Adam

          “I _like_ her. Most definitely the best decision of your life was falling far enough in love to try and impress that one. I don’t know why or how she fell for it, the worst decision of her life was marrying so far beneath her but her one lapse in judgment has probably saved this kingdom more times than there are stars in the sky.” Belle resisted the urge to laugh at that…Adam did not.

          “Yes, the best thing that’s ever happened to me” He agreed with a small smile. And yes, Belle did manage to save the kingdom with her quick mind an awful lot. At her husband’s laugh she did quirk a smile and the two stared at each other for a moment of true sappiness. The interruption was necessary, but not wanted. Queen Leah crashed through, covered in pumpkin bits. Audrey, Jane and Aurora were steps behind her, Aroura being careful not to jostle Diaval too badly.

          “THAT MONSTER IS DESTROYING OUR CHILDREN” She snarled with a vicious jab in Maleficent’s direction. “JANE FAIR JUST TRAPPED ME INAPUMKIN DUE TO THE MORAL DEGRADATION HER MERE PRESENCE IS CAUSING” Janet looked at her daughter.

          “You trapped Queen Leah in a what?” She asked, a smile playing around her lips.

          “Ben told me to keep her away from the proceedings while the plan was going on. He needed Maleficent to calm down and according to Princess Aroura she would when she noticed what had been given.”

          “Stolen more like” Leah snarled. “My poor baby is so traumatized by this woman, plus she has some sort of Stockholm syndrome spell on her. No matter how many times we try to fix it she somehow manages to put it back on from the Isle of the lost. She’s dangerous and I say she and her hell spawn be sentenced to death!”

          “Mother really? Is it so horrid for you to even contemplate that I enjoyed my childhood?”

          “SEE” Leah screeched, “My poor sweetheart is obviously mind controlled and her little demon did the same to the crown prince, and don’t pretend you haven’t” she added the last part in a snarl to Mal.

          “Ok that _did_ happen” Ben agreed. This caused his parents to look at him in horror. “BUT it didn’t even last a full day! It washed out in the enchanted lake and by _homecoming_ she gave me the antidote because she didn’t know it was already out.” He explained. Leah glared at him even harder.

          “You don’t think” She said icily “That her spell destroyed your morals enough that you were able to publicly humiliate my granddaughter as _well_ as shatter her heart? Well, if it wasn’t moral decay caused by magic than it’s a good thing you have brothers to pick up your questionable ethical choices.” As she spoke Ben started to feel bad, evidenced by the fur crawling up his neck. He scratched at said neck with nails that were a bit too sharp, then took a deep breath.

          “Audrey?” He sidestepped Queen Leah. “I…I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking at the time how hurt you must have been and it…it slipped my mind that you had feelings at all to be honest. I just” He bit his lip, causing a bloody mark from too long teeth. “Audrey, it’s true love. Mal’s kiss just saved me from being frozen. Besides you’ve got Chad now” Audrey for her part was doing an amazing job of managing not to cry. She really had been hoping it was all just a spell and that he’d come to his senses and remember he loved her.

          “I get that” She said, voice clipped. She was going to breakdown in Chad’s arms once she got to him, but for now she managed a tight smile to her ex. Chad had been nice enough to pretend date her once Ben started acting odd. It also rescued him from being teased about not having a girlfriend. The friends were doing a sort of pact, dating when they were both single. At least he wasn’t interested in anyone at the moment, she couldn’t bear even the thought of being completely alone right now. Hadn’t since middle school and…

          “I’m really sorry” Ben said again. “And I hope we can still be friends?” She nodded, smile still tight.

          “Of course. Just…I just wanted an apology is all.” She nodded, more trying to convince herself than him. “I…Well, I got what I wanted so I’m just gonna…go” Ben winced again and the fur gained more hair, going from an almost peach fuzz like texture to something that was definitely starting to look like actual fur.

          “Ben?” He looked over at Mal when she called his name, going almost instantly back to human. “You looked kind of…”

          “Sorry” He said. “That happens when I…when I get too angry or if I feel really guilty.” He scratched the back of his neck.

          “I was going to say epic” Mal grinned. “It’s actually kind of funny. You turn into a giant cat and your girlfriend turns into a giant lizard.” The two shared a laugh at that.

          “You didn’t tell me your birthday was coming up.” Ben chided gently. Upon hearing the word, Maleficent started up again, party planning for their homeland.

          “I’m not really big on the whole party scene.” Mal admitted. “That’s more Mom’s thing. This week is going to be pure hell ending only in an obnoxiously big party next Sunday.” She shrugged.

          “At least you’ll have a few more friends to celebrate with?” She shrugged.

          “Yeah I guess, when are the new Isle kids getting over here?” Ben opened his mouth to answer, then realized that they should have gotten to the school already.

          “Dad…where is the new group?” The King coughed.

          “Well it wasn’t really fair to throw them into school during the end of the year hassle so they’re going to start with the summer session.” Ben’s eyes widened.

          “That’s a whole month away!” Ben protested. Adam had the decency to blush. His son had tried to get them to the school by the end of the week but whether it was fear or anger he had pushed back the date so that he had a bit more time to mentally prepare that the daughter of the man that had tried to _kill_ him was going to be running amok in his kingdom. Belle turned to her husband with a vicious smile.

          “Oh good, enough time to send a letter informing the children that should they want their parents can come.” Adam winced and Leah was set off again, talking about how the villains and their children were termites that would attack the foundations of society and that they couldn’t be helped and should instead be bombed. Ben zoned out of that conversation and instead turned back to Mal sadly. “Maybe you can try and convince your mom to push the party back?” She scoffed.           “That will never happen, but thanks for trying. I might have people I know there for my seventeenth.” She shrugged again. Ben frown again.

          “That makes no sense” He objected. “She’s your mom, she’ll understand pushing your birthday back a bit so you have more friends around.” Mal shrugged again.

          “Ben really, I don’t care, it’s whatever. Mom I really, _really_ weird about my birthday. She snuck magic unto the isle of the lost and used it to heal people and throw me birthday parties. Literally that and the Wonder Wall are the only things I’ve seen her use her magic for.”

          “Wonder Wall?”

          “Don’t ask. You don’t want to know and it doesn’t matter anyway because it’s unbreakable and trust me, you want to thank whatever you believe in that it is because if it were to even crack.” She shuddered. “But you don’t need to worry about it because it doesn’t matter and you’ll never even know about it more than the phrase ‘Wonder Wall’” He chuckled.

          “Here that’s a song” She tilted her head in confusion. “I’ll let you hear it sometime.” He promised. She smiled. The villain kids weren’t evil, the villain parents were on their way to being reformed, and there were more kids coming with their parents to be fixed. All in all…this was good, his brothers had nothing to complain about, the isle would be rendered obsolete as soon as he could manage, everyone was stable and the biggest problem right now would be trying to convince Maleficent to push back Mal’s party and to deal with the fallout from Sultana Jasmine when she arrived. Little did he know, this was the calm before the storm.


End file.
